EDUCATIONAL RESPONSE TO COVID-19: THE INJUSTICE FACING CHILDREN WITH THE ONLINE CONTINUOUS LEARNING.
Nigeria, just like every other part of the globe has been largely affected by the spread of the coronavirus. Today, the number of new cases is yet to cease rising. This has led to the closure of several business organizations, including educational institutions.
According to UNESCO, 90% of the world’s school-age children have been affected. This is a fact that the effect of the closure of schools for over a period of four months has largely affected the progress of over 80% of school-going children, most especially in low-income communities. However, the government advised that students should embrace online learning for continuous learning. Several organizations and Individuals also supported this means of learning as they create online platforms for students to meet teachers and attend classes on several school subjects.
Interestingly, the government also created other local means where students could either take classes by watching some scheduled TV programs or listening to Radio programs designed for this purpose. Just 1 in every 5 children in each community could embrace this new paradigm they've not been prepared for, to keep learning while all Educational Institutions are being locked down.
Due to the epileptic powers supply in the country, children in rural communities do not have the opportunities to watch the TV program, to take these classes. Let's imagine a home that does not have a TV to watch not to talk of powering a generator in the absence of the PHCN power supply. How would these kids learn why their peers in other parts of the world could do such without stress.
Only 2 out of 10 private schools could establish online classes to keep their children engaged through WhatsApp, ZOOM, GOOGLE Meet, and other digital platforms. Some parents could not afford the costs of mobile data to help these children embrace this new paradigm. Likewise, they could not bear the charges posed on them by some of these schools for the purpose of virtual learning. Some parents had kept complaining about that the fact that teachers will organize classes, ask the parents to join their children during the classes and they will also be the ones to help the kids with all assignments before the next class, while they still have to pay the school for providing the contents. This seems unbearable to them.
While some schools and Non Governmental Organizations had designed online libraries, pre-loaded with learning materials to ensure that students in the rural communities also keep up with their academic lessons by visit the platform at their own conveniences, take lessons, and give feedback on each task given, still, this could not go far because students do not have the required tools to access these resources.
As a leading Not for Profit Organization, Kayode Alabi Leadership, and Career Initiative also created online learning resources to help students in low-income communities continue to have access to our content for their personal and career development. Courses were being created across Leadership, Public Speaking, Entrepreneurship, Global Citizens Education among others. Students who have access to contents had always reached out to appreciate the value being offered without a charge. We had also promised that many contents will be provided in subsequent times as we keep ensuring that these children build relevant skills that would help them be more active as Global Citizens and also on their career trajectory.
There is a say that a habit takes 90 days a change. However, these children have been at home since the pandemic of COVID-19 and the lockdown of all academic institutions, either learning with shallow effective online classes or not zero educational guidance for learning for more than 120 days now.
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