In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, across the country teaching is being done virtually, but according to Regional Education Officer (REDO) of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Bhagmattie La Cruz, participation by students is worrying.
She made this announcement based in the Education Ministry’s fortnightly report in class instruction which showed that just over 50 per cent of students at the secondary level have been attending school. With respect to the primary level, the situation is even more worrying.
According to La Cruz, the Region has about 7000 students at the secondary level and in excess of 11,000 at the primary level while at the nursery level there are just over 3000.
Addressing the media, she pointed out that there were 1674 students at grade six who are preparing for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). Of that number, 91 per cent have been uplifting their learning material.
At the nursery level, about 90 per cent of parents uplift the learning material but only about 70 per cent return the material for the teachers to mark.
For those children between Grades One and Five, the Ministry has not been able to make the material available for the current school term.
The same applies for those in levels 7, 8 and 9. La Cruz pointed out, “So, what we are using is the soft copies. So, largely it is virtual teaching that is happening at those levels except the Grade Six where they have hard copies of the material.”
The education official added that there have been a system in place to monitor virtual teaching.
“We have a standard data sheet which is sent out to the schools, so the head reports by class.”
According to La Cruz, at the primary level, the percentage that participates is about 60 to 70 per cent or below.
“And the difficulty stems from the fact that the students would actually join the class, but they do not participate actively and so our figures don’t look very good.”
Given the current situation, the Regional Education Officer said that mechanisms would be put in place to address the challenges.
“What we would have been doing when we had the worksheets, along with the welfare unit and teachers from the schools, go into the community based on tracing where’s the parent where the parent had not been coming forward to uplift, and so they go out to them…,” she explained.
Nevertheless, Region Six Chairman David Armogan stated that parents should take the responsibility in ensuring that the work that the teachers give to their children was completed in a timely manner and returned to the teachers.
“So that the work can be assessed and then discussion can take place as to improvement.”
This, he said, is vital because if students have not been doing their homework on their worksheets they would be losing out and would not be able to follow when they return to school.
“There is a continuation of schoolwork, but the only thing is that it is not in the classroom,” the Chairman added.
