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Empowering Futures: Digital Transformation in the Eastern Caribbean

 |  September 4, 2024

By: Digital Regulation Plarform (World Bank)

Nestled amid Saint Lucia’s lush greenery, the vibrantly colored classrooms of Vide Bouteille Primary School buzz with activity, hosting over 300 young learners from kindergarten to sixth grade. The students here have big dreams. Ten-year-old Ayaan skillfully watches real-time scores from the math app on her tablet as they are reflected on the interactive board at the front of the room. She says she’s eager to become a veterinarian.

But not so long ago, it would have been nearly impossible for Ayaan to have personalized access to online learning tools. In 2010, telecommunications in the Eastern Caribbean islands suffered from low bandwidth, high prices, and poor service quality due to outdated networks. Schools in Saint Lucia and Grenada had limited internet connections to support up to a thousand students.

Today it’s a different story, as countries in this region can count on strong digital infrastructure that has been built up over the past decade. Reliable digital networks are an essential lifeline in small island nations like those in the Eastern Caribbean, which are especially vulnerable to natural disasters. They connect remote communities, provide access to government services, and link people to markets. In education, they facilitate online learning, bridge geographical barriers, and offer diverse learning resources.

Increased connectivity and access to online learning tools are transforming schools. In the smart classroom at Vide Bouteille, interactive whiteboards, digital projectors, and collaborative learning apps are making math and reading more engaging for kids and streamline more effective learning methods for teachers in their daily instruction.

Ms. Melisa Hippolyte, head ICT instructor at Vide Bouteille, is thrilled about smart classrooms. “After 13 years teaching, not much impresses me, but this tech has me running to the office and the kids are just as excited, always asking if they can do IT. The technology motivates them to learn and collaborate.”

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