Article: Our Students
Jamell Robinson
Our Students
Since the designation of the spread of COVID-19 as a pandemic, the main focus was required to be on combating the virus from a Health perspective. A secondary focus has been to look at the economic fallout due to local and world economies being closed in response to the disease. As we are finding our way in this new normal in which we co-exist with the daily threats of COVID-19, we must begin to mitigate other essential factors related to the well being of Turks and Caicos Islanders. One of these essential factors is our students abroad. What is being done, and what can be done for our students that are living abroad at this time who did not have a chance to return home before borders across the world were closed?
I am aware that a letter was sent to students on March 19th, 2020 by the Ministry of Education giving 24 hours to indicate if they were interested in returning home. Clearly every student did not or was not in a position to take up that offer. Almost 2 months later, and with a clearer view of the type of long game this will be, with some colleges and universities already planning to enter virtual semesters in the fall, it’s essential that we revisit what is being done for our students overseas during this pandemic?
As many students will likely have stretched their subsistence funds as far as they can go, we must be mindful that term allotted subsistence is likely on their last leg. This is the usually a time that students would be taking final exams, and able to come home or stay abroad at their own cost. This option is not available because our borders are not open plus other countries borders are not open.
The solution is to ensure additional funds are sent to students that are still overseas to be able to maintain themselves adequately while in a foreign country. Additionally, another solution would be to piggyback on the number of special flights, such as Jet Blue, that are coming in country empty. If students live near these hubs, they should be allowed to board, come home, and be quarantined for 14 days, and then return to their homes. If it has not been done as yet, a plan must be developed to ensure our students overseas are taken care of.
Stay Blessed and Safe TCI,
Jamell Robinson, PNP All Island Candidate
