One on One Educational Services has launched a J$250-million project that addresses the teacher shortage issue that has been plaguing the education system.

The company is set to launch the innovative Teacher Availability Solution (TAS) in 100 schools as the new school year approaches, aiming to revolutionise the classroom experience for students and educators alike.

The One Academy for Students and Teachers is designed as an immersive learning environment that seamlessly integrates online and classroom learning. By tapping into a network of skilled teachers, instructional content designers, and technological advancements, One Academy offers personalised instruction tailored to individual learning styles, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills among students.

The TAS solution merges cutting-edge technology, expert educators, and facilitators to deliver high-quality and engaging lessons to participating classrooms throughout the country.

Participating classrooms at each school will be provided with 86-inch smart interactive whiteboards, One on One’s classroom in a box device, and an on-the-ground facilitator to connect with expert instructors for various subjects at the One Academy. To ensure reliable internet connectivity, One on One has partnered with Cable & Wireless Business Solutions to enhance each school’s infrastructure with dedicated internet connectivity, and equipment to address any instability in internet, and electricity.

Plans for expanding into the rest of the Caribbean are also on the horizon.

This investment underscores One on One’s dedication to resolving the teacher shortage crisis. Moreover, it demonstrates the company’s commitment to utilising its initial public offering (IPO) proceeds to bolster the local education infrastructure, thereby shaping the future of the region’s education system.

Ricardo Allen, president and CEO of One on One, shared his excitement about the fruition of years of effort, research, and commitment:

“I am extremely proud to see the culmination of years of hard work, research, and dedication with the launch of our truly transformative TAS. As early as 2019, we had an initial idea to simply connect people to large university lecture rooms with the hope of reducing the cost of tertiary education. This quickly evolved into implementing a centralised approach to next-generation education delivery for primary and secondary schools.”

The development process involved an initial pilot programme in 10 schools, with feedback from principals, administrators, teachers, and students playing a pivotal role in refining the solution’s functionality.

Wayne Robinson, principal of Jamaica College, one of the pilot schools, lauded the innovation’s potential. He said: “We are very much looking forward to this solution to enhance our learning delivery in September and we only hope that this is just the beginning and that we can expand to multiple classrooms.”

While One on One has reported overwhelming demand for the TAS, the company plans to implement the solution in only 100 schools over the upcoming school year. Subjects covered initially include mathematics, English, Spanish, physics, biology, chemistry, and information technology.

Schools in need of the solution are encouraged to reach out to either the Ministry of Education or to One on One promptly to ensure installation before the start of the new school year.