Western Ja educators worried about online access for students

WESTERN BUREAU:

With the reopening of schools pushed back a month because of a spike in coronavirus cases, educators in western Jamaica have renewed concerns about how patchy or non-existent Internet service will impede online teaching when classes resume on September 7.

Their anxieties are consistent with a recently published RJRGLEANER-Don Anderson poll showing that 78 per cent of respondents were worried about sending their children back to school.

The poll, which surveyed the views of 1,071 respondents between July 23 and August 3, also found that six out of every 10 interviewees believed that online classes were effective. It had a margin of error of plus or minus three per cent.

Camille Davis-Williams, principal of St Paul’s Primary School in Westmoreland, said that while most of her teachers have received training to conduct online classes, many students come from rural communities with no Internet capacity.

“We are at about 70 per cent in terms of being trained for the online classes,” Davis-Williams told The Gleaner.

“ ... The best option would have to be the face-to-face meetings in terms of getting back to our students.”

BIGGEST CONCERN

A St James-based primary-school teacher, who requested anonymity, said that her biggest concern was whether her students would have the required online learning tools, such as tablets and Internet access.

“We have online training going on regarding the different online platforms, and now we have a variety of platforms to choose from, so we are looking at the ones that are most effective and relevant to our situation,” said the teacher, adding that Wi-Fi was crucial to mass education in the COVID-19 era.

Antonette Johnson, a teacher who works part-time at a Trelawny-based high school, says teachers, students, and parents need to work together to make online education work seamlessly.

“It is going to take a collective effort, as many factors will [help to] ease a smooth transition into online learning. Things like lack of devices, lack of money to provide Internet service, no Internet service in the homes or community, students’ and parents’ accountability, and willingness to work within the allotted time frame will be a lot to consider and work through,” said Johnson.

While schools are slated to reopen on October 5, there are serious concerns as to whether face-to-face classes will be a safe option, with COVID-19 infections expected to ebb and flow until a vaccine becomes available. Up to Monday, Jamaica had recorded 2,459 infections and 21 deaths from the virus.

In a recent Gleaner interview, Elaine Foster-Allen, former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, warned that face-to-face schooling would be hindered if COVID-19 cases continue to spike.