Great Plains College's Biggar campus, one of several campus locations. (Submitted photo/Great Plains College)

By Angela Brown

Support for Education

Great Plains College receives federal support for students in need

Aug 25, 2020 | 2:58 PM

Many Great Plains College students in need will receive help accessing technology starting in the fall session.

The college received $74,200 in federal funding that it will use to provide laptops for close to 150 students, to benefit their studies.

Keleah Ostrander, the college’s Director of Learner Services and Adult Basic Education, said some students may be struggling with a lack of equipment or older technology as a result of financial challenges.

“We’re just very excited because we know that that was a barrier to progressing in the spring,” Ostrander said. “We are happy that moving into a full academic year under a pandemic umbrella, that we are able to support our learners with access to technology.”

The new funding will make it easier for all students to participate in online learning especially.

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The support is being provided to the college through a partnership with the United Way Regina and the United Way of Saskatoon and Area. This program is funded by the federal government’s Emergency Community Support Fund.

According to the college, student assistance will be made available to eligible adult basic education and post-secondary students who have existing technological barriers to learning.

The college, which has several campuses including Biggar, is offering its programming through what is known as a blended course delivery – a combination of in-class and virtual instruction. The college continues to follow all the province’s COVID-19 precautions.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

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