Md Bayazid Khan
The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of
education systems in human history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in
more than 200 countries. Bangladesh has also no exception. The pandemic has
forced an unprecedented shutdown of educational institutions and as a result
around 42 million children has been affecting severely
due to discontinuation of face-to-face learning. As challenges must bring some
opportunities too, therefore the pandemic has provided us with an opportunity
to pave the way for introducing remote learning. As the pandemic strongly
demands maintaining of social distancing rigorously, therefore there were no other
alternatives to keep learners in the process of learning using multifarious
platforms of remote learning. The government introduced broadcasting of
digital contents of teaching-learning for primary level students under the
program “Ghore Boshe Shikhi” through Bangladesh Sangsad Television and
Bangladesh Betar (radio).
Acknowledging remote learning- a better way for mitigating ongoing
crisis, the government initiative to broadcast lessons through television and
radio is praiseworthy. But, it comes with a downside by creating inequality in
terms of access to entire learners of primary education. Even children from
poor and remote areas’ households with lacking television and access to Sangsad
Television (those have television) and Bangladesh Betar are deprived of
receiving imparted lessons. On the other hand, low and no tech areas students
had no access to receive lessons on social platforms.
The virus has enabled us to think further how to do things
differently, particularly for children who have been adversely affected in
learning with a view to build a more inclusive and equitable education
system. A recent study says that the majority of
students from rural areas and marginalized socio-economic backgrounds are
unable to access remote learning opportunities through television, radio,
internet and smart phones as they do not have access to these devices. On
the other hand, most of the advantageous group of students didn’t find
virtual classes meeting their expectations and learning needs effectively as
they are habituated with face-to-face teaching-learning at schools.
Transitioning
from traditional face-to-face learning to remote learning can be an entirely
different experience for the learners, which they must adapt to with little or
no. Therefore, it has become essential for students to engage in offline
activities and self-exploratory learning beside remote learning.
However, lessons learned from the pandemic considering aforesaid
realistic challenges that certainly affect children’s learning badly, think
tanks need to focus on promoting inclusive alternative learning methods. A
blended method consisting of both remote learning applying via home schooling
or neighborhood schooling and offline learning initiatives may be the effective
strategy of building inclusive and equitable learning opportunities during
pandemic like disasters.
Unlike the conventional home schooling style applied in other
countries, where parents or relatives or other knowledgeable persons act as
instructors to conduct basic education at home, the ongoing situation demanded
home/neighborhood schooling may be introduced by using broadcasted lessons
through television and radio as well as recorded or live teaching-learning
activities from social media platforms. Lessons only on core subjects should
broadcast through radio and TV considering the lesson plan developed by NAPE.
Students might be supported by parents/relatives at home schooling and by
volunteer teachers (local secondary school or college students or ex. teachers)
at neighborhood schooling. Dividing government
primary school catchment’s area proportionate to number of teachers, each area
may be given under a teacher to monitor and supervise home/neighborhood
schooling activities and conduct face-to-face teaching once in a week to
each of their concerned home/neighborhood schools. Thus students should continue the going-to-school rhythm to
cope with changes caused by the pandemic and it certainly dispels monotony. But
this requires launching of a dedicated terrestrial education television channel
by the government. The use of mobile phone radio for receiving lessons on
Bangladesh Betar could be effective to reach students of poverty-stricken and
hard-to-reach areas families. In this regard, need based low-cost simple
mobile phones with radio options might be provided to students with GO-NGO
collaboration. In addition, parent/relative and volunteer teachers may provide
virtual training and catchment’s area based responsible teacher may facilitate
virtual trainings.
It’s important to note that there is no one size fits all
when it comes to learning. Policy makers need to think about for students
with different needs and for students who might not have access to digital
devices at low or no tech areas. So, there needs to consider following offline
initiatives to be taken beside remote learning.
Weekly or fortnightly based class wise activity sheets from
textbooks for core subjects might be distributed to students engaged at
home/neighborhood schooling. Responsible teacher for concerned area may collect
and evaluate activity sheets weekly or fortnightly and give feedback to
parent/relative and voluntary teachers to dispel students’ learning weaknesses.
Voice message might be sent to guardians’ mobile numbers
everyday about lessons schedule that is going to broadcast on TV & Radio
alongside following social contacting & health rules.
Mobile phone contact with students by responsible teacher
might be continued to know their interest and progress in learning alongside
with providing feedback. Activities might be noted down in a registrar.
Evaluating activity sheet and considering mobile phone
responses, responsible teachers need to visit supportable students home to
improve their learning.
Maintaining social contacting and following health rules
strictly, teachers may allow to coming at school once in a week to share
achievements of their students learning and identifying ideas to be added or
subtracted to existing plans.
Self Study Learning Pack (SSLP) comprising with important chapters
of core subjects considering lesson plan might be developed for students. In
the light of SSLP, Learning Supportive Pack (LSP) for parent/relative and
voluntary teachers may be developed too. It is important to note that
responsible teacher of concerned area may support students as well as parent
and volunteer teachers to use self-study materials.
The writer works for
Education for Everyone in Bangladesh as a voluntary co-coordinator.
