Government equips all Public High Schools with WIFI Internet

SKNIS Photo: Minister of Technology Honourable Glenn Phillip

Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 01, 2013 (SKNIS): All public secondary schools in St. Kitts and Nevis have been outfitted with the necessary infrastructure to provide high speed Wi-Fi internet access to enhance the learning experience.

At a press conference on Thursday (January 31) at the Parliamentary Lounge, Government Headquarters, Minister responsible for Technology Honourable Glenn Phillip announced that this has been provided under a project called Education Network (EDUNET).

EDUNET is “complimentary to those persons who have received laptops and those persons who will receive laptops in the near future …,” said Minister Phillip, referencing the Government’s One-to-One Laptop initiative that provides high school students and teachers with personal computers.

Director of Technology Christopher Herbert told SKNIS that EDUNET is dear to his heart given his past experience as a teacher. He explained that the internet service, which was tendered for and won by LIME, will be accessible from every corner of the school compound and extends approximately 100 feet outside. The download and upload speed is 10 MB which is five times faster than the typical speed of the average residential customer.

A feature of the system provides email service to the students where they can receive school updates and homework assignments. Additionally, there is a teleconferencing option where students and teachers across schools on the network can interact with each other providing exciting opportunities for shared learning.

Typical restrictions are in place to block access to undesirable websites but teachers will be allowed to request timed access to social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook which may contain material relevant to a course or topic.

EDUNET is a project of the National Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (NTRC) being spearheaded by the Department of Technology. The official launch of the project is scheduled for the first quarter of 2013.