Library media coach F. Housen (left) giving a tour of the classroom.
PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten library celebrated the re-launch of its cyber senior programme on Monday in a small ceremony.
This took place at the Reading Rainbow Early Stimulation School, which also serves as the location for classes.
The cyber programme starts Tuesday, May 17. For the next eight weeks participants will attend classes every Tuesday or Wednesday. Each session will be able to accommodate up to 10 persons per class which will be facilitated by the staff of Philipsburg Jubilee Library.
In Monday’s ceremony several participants of the cyber class came out to learn more about the initiative. Persons were welcomed Reading Rainbow Director Delmarie Cornelius. She expressed her gratitude to all those that came together to make the initiative a possibility.
Reading Rainbow Director Delmarie Cornelius (fourth from left), ECYS Minister Rodolphe Samuel (back row, centre), St. Maarten Library Director Gwendolyn Holiday (back row, second from right) and attendees of Monday’s ceremony.
This was followed by remarks from library Director Gwendolyn Holiday who expressed her happiness in being part of an initiative that could contribute to the community in helping the elderly. She also gave some insight to the start of the programme, which initially started in 2015.
Holiday introduced the library team who will be working with and helping the seniors throughout the classes.
Project coordinator/media coach Francia Housen gave a brief overview of what persons can expect from the course.
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Rodolphe Samuel also shared some encouraging words with the class participants. He reminded persons of the importance of being able to carry out the necessary tasks online, especially in the digital age that we live in today. He thanked all those who have made this course a possibility.
Following the ceremony all seniors and guests were given a short tour of the facilities in which the classes would take place. They were provided with full opportunities to ask questions, express concerns and those who had not already registered were able to do so on the spot.
The cyber classes are a free course aimed at helping seniors become more computer-literate. The eight-week-long course will give seniors a chance to learn the basic skills to be able to use a computer. They will learn the intricacies of navigating the Internet, such as online banking, making appointments online and payment of bills online.
