The ManicaPost
SCHOOLS opened this week for physical lessons following an extended Covid-19 induced lockdown holiday with Grade Sevens, Form Fours and Upper Sixes classes getting down to serious business.
Returning to school after such a long break tends to leave most pupils unfocused and lethargic, so teachers need to re-ignite their interest in learning and help them move on from the relaxed and fun-filled time they had become accustomed to during the lengthy sabbatical, bearing in mind that they need to make up for the lost time.
Parents are not happy with the quality of tutorials their kids got during the lockdown and want to see schools making up for the lost time.
Though lost teaching and learning time vary across schools — we all agree that learning loss is real — and schools must work on ways to address it.
The pandemic made learning worse for our kids and now is the time for schools to act decisively. How can schools make up for the lost time?
In reality, lost time can never be regained.
The key is to concentrate on what schools can control — that is to approach this physical learning window responsibly and creatively, acknowledging and accepting what has happened and moving forward with a resolve to keep pupils and staff safe by adhering to prescribed health protocols — while creating the best possible learning opportunities.
Schools need to do more to counter this learning gap.
What we know for certain is that while there has been lost learning time, the pupils have not lost their brilliance.
It is also our fervent hope that teachers have not lost their dedication. They must exude their patriotism and loyalty to duty by doubling up their effort.
The most important thing they need to do while making up for the lost time is to maintain a positive attitude.
They should not lose patience with the pupils for not mastering some concepts.
This may put off pupils and make them distaste learning, rather than motivate them in the right direction.
Making pupils feel positive about studies is extremely essential.
This helps to cover up for the lost time in a faster and effective manner.
As Covid-19 lockdown measures impacts the education sector, one thing quickly became clear — schools, teachers, pupils and their parents need to embrace technology more than ever.
This pandemic has made online learning and teaching essential and urgent.
It is therefore important that schools forge partnerships with the private sector and the alumni to empower pupils and teachers programmes with data, devices and Information Communication Technology (ICT) training.
This will go a long way to ensure a fairer education system as e-learning will serve as an additional learning resource.
Some may say online teaching is not as effective as contact learning, but still no school should lag behind. There is need to keep supporting pupils through online tutorials.
Technology helps teachers to minimise the loss of learning time.
Online tools such as Google Docs, WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook can be used to conduct one-to-one or even group tutorials and provide lesson updates to pupils during the evening, weekends and public holidays.
This will actually help the pupils to remain academically active and connected.
Every school, including public schools, should extend digital services to pupils.
Parents must sacrifice and ensure that their children have the hardware and means to learn online.
This is one surest way in which schools can accelerate their catch-up programmes and also counter problems around staggered attendance where teachers will see pupils twice or thrice a week.
We also welcome the decision by Government to recruit 4 000 teachers with immediate effect, of which 440 were deployed in Manicaland. Although the provincial target is 3 400 teachers, this starting point should be applauded by all.
The move is certainly a timely intervention as the teacher-pupil ratio was increasing to unmanageable levels by the day.
