School’s in session

Come tomorrow, students from grades four to six will be able to access online full-time school via EduFocal.com. The EduFocal Academy offers all Primary Exit Profile (PEP) subjects: mathematics, social studies, science and language arts; and provides students with access to daily online classes, Monday through to Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., including a daily homework centre which helps students with problem topics.

Principal of EduFocal Academy, Kristy Fernandez, said: “There will be several breaks throughout the day because we do not want students sitting in front of a screen for too long. We have also included religious education and health and family life. All classes are recorded, so if students are unable to attend class for whatever reason, they can contact their teacher. The recorded lesson and homework are posted within 24-48 hours after the class is held, and they can access the information there.”

The innovative learning solution is being deemed as a viable alternative for parents of children under 12 with concerns about issues surrounding COVID-19 vaccination and face-to-face classes.

EduFocal Academy utilises the National Standards Curriculum, and each subject is designed and delivered in a fully digital format by first-rate educators with the skills to manipulate the technology to assist each student with learning.

Fernandez is confident about the school’s offerings and scope for growth. “We have managed to fine-tune our offerings for children in grades four through six preparing for PEP. We are also looking to expand our programme in the future,” she said. Among EduFocal Academy’s more immediate undertakings is the addition of features that will provide one-on-one learning support and support for children with special needs.

HOMESCHOOLING

What is more, not only is the academy providing a solution to parents for quality digital education, but its offerings extend to parents seeking a solution to assist with homeschooling – a paradigm shift that is now in greater demand as parents seek an alternative to the public education system. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI), in its published objectives, outlined that one of its goals is ‘to provide access to quality education to children at the primary level by 2023’. EduFocal Academy, which is endorsed by the MOEYI, is making sure that primary-age students have an alternative solution for quality education, irrespective of the educational climate and the challenges that children and educators face in this process, explained Nicola Chambers, EduFocal programmes director.

The move to a digital learning programme is not new for EduFocal. Since 2012, the institution has been preparing students for their PEP examinations and has been successful in assisting its students to pass for their top-choice school. Fifteen per cent of the students who qualified to sit the PEP exams in 2021 received external scholarships, a fact Fernandez said she is proud of.

Fernandez added that the academy is designed to be fully holistic in its approach, ensuring that “we develop the whole child with not just the academic but with socially engaging programmes such as live extra-curricular activities, virtual field trips and our clubhouse feature. We boast an impressive learning hub which gives our students access to PEP resources to include over 23,000 practice questions. We want to ensure that no child gets left behind.” .

Online registration for EduFocal Academy remains open, with options for monthly or per-term payment. For further details, visit www.edufocal.com to view the academy’s offerings.