Moving on from bricks and books

STUDENTS MIGHT be stuck in cyberspace, but don’t tell that to the Government.

This month, officials have opened four schools, in Chatham, Malabar, San Juan and Siparia.

It’s always good to see the education system getting much needed infrastructure upgrades, and many of these commissioning ceremonies were undoubtedly the fruit of years of effort and planning.

But what about addressing all of the intangible things that need to be addressed if students’ interests are to be truly paramount?

The announcement by Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly that there will be no face-to-face classes for all students when the new school term starts come September 6 reflects the grim reality that our student vaccination rate is not where it should be.

Though it is possible things will improve and some physical classes might eventually become possible, all school buildings – including those opened recently – will remain underutilised.

While there is a surfeit of empty classroom space, there is a shortage of the basic equipment students need to go online and access their virtual classrooms. Amid all the grand celebrations this month, it seems the focus on addressing the laptop shortage has been removed from centre-stage.

The Government has not been completely asleep on this issue. Last year, it allocated about $50 million to procuring more devices in preparation for the academic year 2021/2022. It also entered into partnerships with the private sector.

In July, the distribution of devices began. But of 20,000 devices initially bought, only about 8,000 had been received up to that month. About 65,000 laptops were originally estimated to be needed, though some donations have come from the corporate community. No doubt some parents have found or raised the money to buy what their children need, too.

But clarity is still needed as to how many children do not yet have access to what has now become a basic educational need.

It is precisely because of the vagaries of demand and supply that the State needs to consider even more measures to help students out. For example, in many countries today, students receive heavy discounts from large retailers for laptop purchases. The Government has prioritised students who cannot afford devices. But what about subsidising discounts at stores?

Meanwhile, the entire policy orientation of the Ministry of Education is clearly in need of an urgent shift, given the experience of the pandemic. It used to be the case that cutting ribbons for new buildings was good enough – but what about a system of teaching and assessment that faces the new normal instead of being at the mercy of it?

And while we await the brave new world of post-2020 pedagogy, there are classic problems yet to be addressed.

A recent report by the Silver Lining Foundation suggested bullying remains a worrying problem. However, the report suggests simple changes in what we teach our students – not just how we house them – can make a huge difference.