Dear Editor,
The current pandemic has brought to the fore some longstanding issues plaguing our education system. The stark reality is that most of the efforts to provide educational services for our currently out-of-school students will fail to meet a significant percentage of the target population. The pre-existing disparities have been amplified given the heavy reliance on technology as the major stop-gap measure. Simply put, a substantial percentage of the population who does not have ready access to the internet, devices and bandwidth have been, and will continue to be, left out of those educational experiences. Even those who have access cannot always afford to buy the data needed to participate fully. In a context of job loss and economic uncertainty, money is spent on food and other necessities, not data. The further one moves from Georgetown, the more pronounced this digital divide becomes. More importantly, the required training of practitioners to effectively deliver within the appropriate online modes has not taken place. As such, many of our teachers have voiced their frustration at attempts made to implement these new instructional practices. Much of this is largely due to the fact that many have been attempting to transfer classroom modalities into online teaching and learning experiences that require completely different skill sets, mindsets and approaches. Add to this the absence of clear guidelines for teachers as to what is expected of them on a daily basis and it is quite possible that a sizable percentage of our student population has been left without instruction for some time.
A real and present danger is that students who have not been academically engaged over an extended period will lose interest in education. More importantly, under the current circumstances, with the absence of institutional arrangements and safety nets, those who were previously at risk of failure or of dropping out of school could wander further away from formal education altogether. Another related and troubling point is the slippage and learning loss that takes place when students are away from school for extended periods. Those students without access to learning during COVID will fall behind unless they are given additional time and instruction to catch up As such, the challenge before us is much more complex than simply devising means of providing forms of daily instruction.
Plans must consider the wide-ranging realities of our diverse student population and attempts must be made to meet them where they are. More than ever before, emphasis must be placed on making what is offered relevant to the needs of our children. A multi-tiered and multifaceted approach must be adopted that looks at utilizing a wide range of instructional approaches. It must consider the varied abilities our students possess and equitably address the potential gaps that exist in relation to access. In addition to the online modes of instruction, the use of television and radio must be regarded as being critical in meeting the underserved masses. The forms of instruction provided must be systematic and aligned with prescribed curricular expectations. The ad hoc implementation of programmes from random sources could only serve to create confusion and frustration, especially for our most vulnerable charges. In the midst of these challenges, the opportunity presents itself for the Ministry to press the reset button and consider the wide range of options available in crafting comprehensive plans which can serve the education system well beyond the pandemic. This is the time for us to be clear on what education should be comprised of and the role it must play in our development going forward. Becoming too immersed in what is immediately before us without also seeing the long road ahead could be extremely costly to our children and by extension, the nation.
Yours faithfully,
Olato Sam
