By Ekene Odigwe<\/p>\n
By-line: \u2026. how equipped are students to adapt to new methods of
\nlearning?<\/p>\n
Education gives us an understanding of the world around us and offers
\nthe opportunity for us to apply knowledge wisely. Irrespective of tribe,
\nrace, creed, and gender, education makes it possible for people to stand
\nout as equals with other persons from different walks of life.<\/p>\n
Currently, the global world is facing a crisis \u2014 one that is killing
\npeople, spreading human suffering, and upending lives. But this is much
\nmore than a health crisis. It is a human, economic, and social crisis.
\nThe Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), which has been characterized as a
\npandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), is attacking societies
\nto their core.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the educational sector is a part of the receiving end
\npaying a huge price. According to UNESCO, an estimated 1.725 billion
\nlearners have been affected as a result of school closures, representing
\nabout 99.9% of the world\u2019s student population as of April 13th, 2020.<\/p>\n
In Nigeria, over 80 million learners are affected by the shutdown of
\nschools since March 2020. The educational system has been devastated and
\nchildren from lower socio-economic families are bearing the brunt.<\/p>\n
The pandemic has also forced many businesses to temporarily shut down.
\nTo cushion the effects, the world is embracing technological
\ninnovations. Virtual interactions are increasingly adopted to replace
\nface-to-face engagements and limit the total disruption to many sectors.<\/p>\n
As a result, education channels have changed dramatically, with the
\ndistinctive rise of e-learning, where teaching is undertaken remotely
\nand on digital platforms. Classes are now held on virtual platforms like
\nZoom, Google Classrooms, Articulate 360, Lectora Inspire, among others.<\/p>\n
But not every student can access these platforms.<\/p>\n
As pleasant as this solution is, it is sad that students from
\nunder-served low-income communities are left out and unable to access
\nlearning during this period likely due to financial limitations, data
\nexpenses, and limited technological savviness
\nFor underprivileged children, this crisis is widening rather than
\nnarrowing the learning gaps.<\/p>\n
To mitigate this challenge, Enugu State, in April 2020, embarked on
\nairing school lessons two hours daily on the radio for primary and
\nsecondary school students. According to the Commissioner for Education,
\nProfessor Uchenna Eze, the project was launched by the ministry to
\nassist pupils and students to keep up with the school curriculum.
\nThe Enugu Radio School, done in partnership with the Federal Radio
\nCorporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Enugu Zonal Station and The Enugu State
\nBroadcasting Service (ESBS) with funding from the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
\nAdministration, has bridged the gap in limited access, provided earning
\npower for teachers and helped prepare students especially those in the
\nfinal stages.<\/p>\n
Over the years it has been established that there is a drop in the
\nnumber of children that return to school after a pandemic.<\/p>\n
For Enugu State, this closure of schools is testing its education
\nsystems\u2019 readiness and capacity to maintain student engagement and
\nlearning.<\/p>\n
This is shedding renewed light on the inequities that exist across and
\nwithin local governments that create barriers to quality education,
\nespecially for the marginalized communities.<\/p>\n
Consequently, it is safe to say that Enugu state is prepared for school
\nresumption. Recall that the Federal Government announced on July 30th
\nthat exit classes for Nigerian secondary schools were to resume on
\nAugust 4th, 2020.<\/p>\n
According to the government, the reopening of exit classes will enable
\nthe students to have two weeks to prepare for their West African
\nExamination Council (WAEC) examination which is scheduled to start next
\nweek by August 17, 2020.<\/p>\n
This unanimous decision was reached during a virtual consultative
\nmeeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, the Commissioner for
\nEducation in each of the 36 states of the Federation, the Nigerian Union
\nof Teachers (NUT), the proprietors of private schools, and Chief
\nExecutives of examination bodies.<\/p>\n
As education stakeholders around Nigeria enthusiastically support the
\ngovernment\u2019s decision, parents and guardians are concerned about the
\nhealth implications likely to arise and about how equipped students are
\nto adapt and transition to this phased reopening of schools and new
\nmethods of learning.<\/p>\n
Lack of quality basic education limits a nation\u2019s potential for growth
\nand development; adding COVID-19 pandemic to the mix is more worrisome
\nfor a developing nation like Nigeria. For the Nigerian child, both
\nconstitute emergencies and require urgent realistic solutions.<\/p>\n
WHAT FACTORS ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN REOPENING SCHOOLS?<\/p>\n
In speaking with Ebere Okoye, the Director of iNSPARK Enterprise, an ICT
\nhub within Enugu metropolis which offers graphic design and programming
\nclasses, she explains that the government has consistently not increased
\nthe education budget and the already existing infrastructures are not
\nreceiving the desired attention.<\/p>\n
She argues that a clear plan must be developed, that first and foremost
\nprioritizes the health and safety of students, educators, and families.<\/p>\n
Likewise, Nneka Ikeji, a Chief Nursing Officer at the University of
\nNigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla, who praised Governor Ugwuanyi\u2019s
\nactions with the provision of funding and equipping of public schools in
\nEnugu State.<\/p>\n
She suggested that more financial aid is still needed in terms of
\ninvesting in the educational tools of the future alongside a total
\nrevamp of the educational sector.
\nReforms in the national curriculum post-pandemic would be an effective
\nway to bridge these gaps with priority given to newer courses like
\ndigital safety and Microsoft Office tools which can usher students into
\nthe modern era and prepare them for jobs of the future.<\/p>\n
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER SCHOOLS REOPEN?<\/p>\n
Despite numerous complaints from the Basic Education administrators on
\nthe paucity of funds to improve educational infrastructure, the Federal
\nGovernment matching grants remain unused at the Central Bank of Nigeria
\nand is waiting to be accessed for the State\u2019s development throughout the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
These, no doubt, are tales of woe; elucidating an experience of the
\nproverbial butcher\u2019s son who suffers lack of meat and thus settles for
\nthe worst of the bones.
\nCatering for basic education is primarily the role of States through the
\nexisting 37 State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB) as stated in
\nthe Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act of 2004.<\/p>\n
The Act allows the federal governing agency, UBEC to share the costs of
\nfinancing basic education with states through counterpart funding. It
\noriginally provides that the central government is to spend 2% of its
\nannual budget on UBEC. To access the funds, states are expected to
\nprovide 50% of counterpart funds to match the amount approved by the
\nfederal government each year.<\/p>\n
As schools have reopened, learning from other countries\u2019 experiences
\nwill be especially useful and also finding a way to access the
\nunutilized matching grant of 3,464,873,598.26 from the Universal Basic
\nEducation Commission from (2005 – 2019) will go a long way in enabling
\nour students\u2019 educational development in this digital era.<\/p>\n