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PSS launches ‘WiFi on Wheels’ initiative
Under the leadership of Education Commissioner Dr. Afred Ada and the Board of Education, the Public School System is proud to announce an innovative new effort to provide free wireless internet to students and families throughout the CNMI.
Due to COVID-19, many students are relying on learning from home, but not every family has equitable access to the internet. The “WiFi on Wheels” initiative, or WOW, was created to promote equity and access for continued learning.
The goal of WOW is to support continued learning enrichment, communication, and access to information for students and community members who do not have internet access at home. PSS has equipped its school busses with WiFi capabilities and will send them to strategic locations throughout the islands. The program will be piloted and tested in the village of Kagman beginning on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, with an anticipated islandwide rollout on May 25, 2020. The program will then be launch on the island of Tinian and Rota on June 1, 2020.
The community is invited to participate in the pilot in Kagman on May 13 through May 20, 2020. The WOW program will be available between 9:30am and 11:30am during the weekday at four sites: Santa Soledad Church, Kagman 2 basketball court, Chacha Oceanview Middle School parking lot, and the Kagman Community Center. Residents are encouraged to drive to the locations and must wear a mask or face covering. Walkers are also allowed within the space; however, strict social distancing guidelines will be enforced for the public’s safety. Content filtering is programmed to avoid access to inappropriate content. Community members must bring their own devices to connect to the free WiFi.
Information regarding the islandwide rollout and WOW for Tinian and Rota will be published at a later date.
The PSS would like to thank the Department of Public Lands, Youth Affairs Office, Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, Docomo Pacific, and IT&E for their partnership in supporting this effort. (PR)
