Primary education in Bangladesh during pandemic demands blend of remote and offline learning

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.

 

auparbayazidkhan@gmail.com

The writer works for Education for Everyone in Bangladesh as a voluntary co-coordinator.

GO-NGO Collaboration Still Has Efficacy in Primary Education

 

Realizing the importance of elementary education, the government has been taking extraordinary initiatives since setting out country’s journey after independence. Amazing initiatives that the government had been taken were nationalize all non-government primary schools in 1973 despite of facing country’s crippled economic condition and again in 2013, make primary education compulsory and free of cost, inaugurate food for education program, enable domestic and international donor countries or agencies to contribute together to the development of primary education by the name of primary education development program etc. Government heartfelt efforts continues as initiatives like Primary Education Stipend Program, School Feeding Program, Second Chance Education Program for out of school and dropped out children, Fourth Primary Education Development Program with a view to ensure infrastructure development of schools as well as qualitative improvement of teachers and students performances etc are running nowadays effectively. Bangladesh has made rapid envious progress in primary education especially in the areas of access, equity and internal efficiency (reducing dropout & repetition, increasing completion of primary education cycle).

 

 

But the most significant setback for children in primary schools is quality of education, which leads to low-learning outcomes and absence of functional learning. This eventually increases dropout in primary tier as well as reduce primary graduates’ transition to secondary education. Primary education is still facing challenges regarding lack of quality and functional learning by children and around 4.6 million children of primary school age are not pursuing their education despite government massive investment and attention in this sector. Primary education in the country enriched nowadays with adequate qualified and trained teachers. Beside, schools are ensuring of child friendly school environment by constructing new buildings/additional classrooms, separate wash blocks for boys & girls, boundary wall and providing playing accessories, multimedia projector, learning materials etc. Moreover, schools have been supporting with money to implement school level improvement plan alongside with bearing expenses regarding decoration of pre-primary classroom, repair of furniture/classrooms/toilets/

water sources etc every year. On the other hand, primary schools students all around the country are providing with stipend and multi-color books with free of cost and high protein biscuits & mid-day hot meal to some selected upazilas. Despite of having aforesaid facilities still the sector has been facing difficulties such as overcrowded classrooms, inadequate desk-benches, insufficient contact hour due to huge number of double-shift schools, malnutrition among children, lack of commitment among teachers in imparting qualitative and child-centered teaching, lack of accountability regarding teachers’ timely arrival & departure, absence of effective academic supervision by supervisory authorities, irregular attendance by underprivileged students, absence of learning atmosphere at home etc. All of above-mentioned hindrances affect severely to provide qualitative and functional learning to entire primary schools students.

 

The government is grappling for providing quality primary education to entire students and creating equitable access to pursue basic education to out of school and dropped out children. Regarding this, the government is mainstreaming pre-primary and primary education and spending huge amount of money every year for ensuring child-friendly school environment and teachers’ professional development.

 

Research shows that quality and commitment of teachers is a major detriment to children’s learning and well-being. The country has significant numbers of well-qualified and trained teachers but most of them have absence of commitment in performing their duties as missionary. Providing quality learning to children, government should show zero tolerance regarding teachers’ commitment in imparting quality teaching, timely start and finish of daily lessons by any means, supervisory officers’ active role in improving teachers’ professional development through intensive academic supervision, make and implement need based policy for teachers’ posting & transfer emphasizing priority of school and children’s interest etc.

 

So, instead of contributing through donors’ pool under primary education development program, NGOs and international agencies have limited areas to work directly for improving primary education through launching discrete projects. The following areas may consider working discretely by NGOs.

 

NGOs may work with underprivileged/nomadic children, children with disabilities, children in remote areas or vulnerable areas affected by natural disasters etc those who are often denying their right to education regarding ensure their access to basic education.  Children who left out from government run “Out of school children education program” might be considered for bringing under benefit.

 

Considering pivotal earning sources to meet necessity of family’s demand of working or slum or nomadic children, NGOs may work for continuing their education and earning simultaneously. They may be ensured attachment to respective workplaces with the agreement with employers to complete children’s skill development process in an interested discipline within stipulated time and ensure their appointment after successful completion of skill attainment. Meanwhile they might be provided with monthly stipend as immediate compensatory. Education program with flexible timetable comfortable to children may introduce for them (who are excluded from government run out of school children education program) providing them with food, school uniform, pen/notebook etc. Developing database of these children may become helpful for continuing their learning even they transfer to another place for living.

 

 

NGOs may launch “Supportive Learning Center (SLC)” for children who don’t have convenient learning environment at home regards to clarify understandings of daily lessons as well as help them to prepare homework for next days lessons. The program may contribute to strengthen children’s functional learning too. SLCs may run before or after scheduled timetable.

 

NGOs may work for ensuring of timely start and finish of daily teaching-learning activities at remote or hard to reach areas schools providing transport or logistic support to teachers. They may arrange cost effective “Teacher Boat” for haor/char areas or “Teacher Vehicle” for hilly areas/tea gardens or “Teacher Hostel” regarding this.

 

Bullying is detrimental to development of children. Girls, children with disabilities, children of underprivileged or vulnerable or ethnic minority families may become the victims of verbal or physical or social bullying at schools. NGOs may work to raise awareness among teachers, parents and students so that this awful behaviour can never take place at schools.

auparbayazidkhan@gmail.com

The writer works for Education for Everyone (UK Registered Charity 1172424) as volunteer coordinator in Bangladesh.