This parent, Modupe Adefeso-Olateju, who is also an educator wrote a brilliant letter for her son’s school as coronavirus pandemic compel many schools to go digital. It is a letter worth reflecting on. See letter below in her words.
I trust you and yours are staying safe and keeping well. This is indeed an unusual time for us all! Thank you for informing me of the school management’s decision to pivot to e-learning. This is appreciated. It is heartening to note that the school has begun training teachers in the use of digital teaching tools and I commend the management and teaching staff for their willingness to build this capacity.
As plans begin to unfold with regard to e-learning, may I suggest that we are guided by evidence from other countries (that already implement blended learning approaches in their education systems) and consider providing training and support for parents as well.
Across the world today, there is an (incorrect) assumption that once digital devices and data are available to children at home, parents can adequately support teachers in the learning process. The truth is that the pandemic has created an unprecedented and overwhelmingly stressful time for many parents who are at home, either continuing to work in often unconducive environments or who are worrying about finances; potential job losses and salary cuts at this time. On top of this, many parents have never been taught the basics of pedagogy and simply do not know how to create conducive learning environments for their children nor how to support a learning process that is now even more complex in its remoteness.
I spend a fair bit of my professional time studying innovations in education, and the organisation I work with, initiated and hosts the annual Education Innovation Summit (NEDIS) and it is from what we have learnt and are still learning through this platform, that I share the following suggestions below. I hope you will consider them as you plan our migration to digital:
I continue to be impressed by the dedication of the school’s teachers and look forward to supporting the process of ensuring that our children can continue to learn even at this time.
Mo.
Modupe (Mo) Adefeso-Olateju is an education policy expert specialising in public-private partnerships in education. She is Managing Director of The Education Partnership Centre (TEP Centre) and Programme Director of the LEARNigeria Citizen-Led Assessment and Advocacy Programme.
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