Md Bayazid Khan :
The Covid-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption in education systems in the human history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 200 countries. Bangladesh is 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.
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 National Academy for Primary Education (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 need to consider following offline initiatives to be taken besides 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 and Radio alongside following social contacting and 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.
(Mr. Baizid works for primary education in Bangladesh. Email: [email protected])
