 The new academic school year officially commenced on Monday 13th September 2021, with students receiving instruction via the distributed learning approach. Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training Hon. Sean Edward explained that the initial plan was to have students return to face-to-face in classroom learning. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and increased cases in St. Lucia has made this impossible as such classes will be conducted virtually for students with smart devices and internet connectivity. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of students in our school system who do not possess a tablet or laptop computer or internet connectivity. This situation of students not having devices to take advantage of the virtual learning platform concerns me tremendously as Minister, and I have caused it to be the subject of very robust discussions amongst Education administrators and my Cabinet colleagues. Thankfully, upon uprising him of the situation, the Hon. Prime Minister without delay instructed that through the requisite channels and employing the most transparent government approved procurement guidelines, the Ministry of Education makes available at the soonest almost 4,000 laptop computers to students in need. The minister explained that upon arrival on island, the devices will be distributed amongst incoming from one and from two students in the secondary school system. He disclosed that there are other initiatives afoot to secure devices for primary school students, particularly those in grade six. Hon. Edward assuring that no students will be left behind also expressed concern for students' well-being. COVID-19 has taken a toll on us as a society and our children have not been spared or exempted. We will ensure that the necessary support mechanisms are in place to help students recover socially, emotionally, and academically. Principal teachers, I urge you to take the time, listen to your students as they express how they feel, how their lives have changed, and how they handle their situations and challenges. Let us be flexible and supportive more than ever before as we embrace new approaches to meet the needs of our students while providing them with the best educational experience in the circumstances. The Ministry of Education expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their cooperation and will continue to regularly monitor the health situation, review processes towards improving academic recovery, and minimize an instruction loss.