Educators speak! Uninvolved parents, bad internet hurting hybrid learning
When it comes to the current blended learning system which merges online with face-to-face learning, poor internet connection and a lack of parental involvement are the main issues challenging the system.
This is the view held by a few educators who spoke to the BVI News about their experience with the new hybrid model implemented in schools because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The teachers who spoke to our news centre on anonymity said, for the most part, students and teachers already have the devices and many other necessary tools needed to conduct remote learning.
Poor internet
But they said the main issue hindering academic progress of the territory’s youngsters is internet connectivity.
“Poor internet connection is the biggest issue,” said one senior educator at the secondary level.
The government had announced that in 2021, it would be clamping down on internet service providers for improved internet service — a resource which is now like a basic need across the world.
But the problem still persists.
Lack of parental participation
In addition to connectivity issues, the teachers bemoaned the lack of parental involvement in their children’s education. However, one teacher was quick to point out that some parents were delinquent even before remote learning was incorporated into the system.
“The current model is working for those students whose parents make the extra effort to ensure that their children stay on top of things. Just like with face-to-face, you have those parents who monitor their children and ensure that they keep in touch with the teachers. They see education as a partnership,” the educator said.
Although some teachers see no problem with the hybrid system, one educator believes less face-to-face learning will negatively affect this generation of learners.
“The new system adversely affects their holistic development. Also, [many] are at home without proper adult supervision. Parents need to be more involved,” the educator said.
Some parents across the territory have hinted that they are struggling with balancing work and homeschooling. However, It is believed face-to-face interactions will increase with an effective COVID-19 vaccine and the willingness to be inoculated by many within the community.
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I totally agree we need internet at a good speed AND a reasonable cost across the islands. But how are we going to do that when we can’t even get consistent running water to our people?
Send them to school like the rest of the world. The kids getting dumber by the second. There is no Covid in the BVI. Ask the great leader of Tanzania. Lmfao
The children need to go back to school. Stop listening to the teachers who want the same salary for 2 hours work from home per day. Get the kids back in school full time. It is what is best for their mental and physical wellbeing.
Internet is the major problem. Please help!!!!
Those kids need to go back to full time school.
The BVI has no COVID19 community spread, therefore it is quite safe to have the kids in the classroom.
All the other Islands have full time school with proper protocols, why cant we in the BVI have the same.
Its a clear indication that the BVI Govt. has no interest in the youths.
Again, we have some lazy teachers who don’t give a s**t and just collects a month salary for doing 2 hours of work per day.
In Puerto Rico 100 miles from here I pay $72./month with unlimited data and much much faster. Why can’t we demand to be in the 21st century? Is it just a monopoly of providers we are stuck with? Can’t our Gov. do something? The school children need help.
Funny how Literally everything else cost more in BVI compared anywhere else being compared… But somehow despite that people expect to pay the same thing as these other countries for internet… How?.. explain how the higher cost of electricity the higher cost of renting property the higher cost of literally everything in except rum and jewelry in addition to the lower population than the places people like to compare… How can that not affect what you pay for internet? Lets fix the real problem and that’s the high cost of everything in BVI.
PR has a population of over 3 million people.
The BVI has about 30,000. It would be hard to make a profit while investing in the best technology and paying staff especially while competing with 2 other companies for customers.
The people dont want the best tech. we want better internet for what we paying
Let us be fair. Whether school is opened fully or not there will always be uninvolved parents. However, I don’t think it’s fair to judge parents at this time given that the Territory is opened, people are back to work, it’s not the parents’ fault that the Government has done little or NOTHING to get the public system moving at a better pace. It’s laziness and ineptness but as usual let’s pass the buck instead of taking responsibility. There are many parents who never finished school, can’t read, are not computer literate but they love their kids and try their best, what are they to do? The online system is very challenging to the kids and to parents who are well off so imagine those who are not. Open the schools with measures in place to protect. The damage being done with homeschooling is much worst than COVID.
I agree with Fair’s comment. It is so accurate. Many parents are not technological inclined and while they are interested in their children learning, technology is a challenge for them. The government should open up the schools. Has anyone given any thought about the psychological affects remote learning has on children? the children too are most likely depressed. There is no symbiotic relationship with their peers. Has any psychologists reached out to any of the students? or have we completely forgotton that children are not robots but living, breathing humans who need support as well.
Get the children back to school for 5 days a week for their full day 8.30am.to 3.30 or 4pm. Point blank. No more online NOTHING!!!! Let’s get back to basics. This drop off and pick up is too much stress on the parents and guardian without a full day of school and this too is killing our economy
Getting kids in the classroom right now should be the priority. Teachers are not at risk and if they feel they are do like the private schools and take the necessary safeguards. It is criminal to delay the education of our children right now and there is no sound reason for this. I really feel for all involved, kids and parents. Providing proper education to ones nationals is one of the key functions of government and this is an abject failure to keep these children at home especially after the suffering caused by Irma. Get those kids back in the classroom.
Education has gone backwards since the VIP came in power. Anyone who is objective will agree.
It was the primer who said in the elections that the internet was going to be better. Instead it’s worse for the money or was that ANOTHER L**!!
I see many are saying here to send the children back to school because there is no community spread. First, let’s understand the reasoning behind the following of the protocols.
New Year’s Eve party a person escaped quarantine and initiated a community spread. If we were not following the current protocols it would have been worse. The protocols are to prevent massive spreading if there was a slip or an uncaring individual to act out out stupidity. We need the protocols but we also need to up our so-called internet service.
If the spread was worse as it is in say, Antigua, everyone would blame the government for not enforcing protocols. SMH.
EDUCATION HAS NOT GONR BACKWARDS SINCE VIP CAME TO POWER IT HAS BEEN HELPED THE FORMER GOVERNMENT DID PURE S**T IN THE EDUCATION SYATEM MYRON DID A LOT OF STUPIDNESS SO BE THANKFUL THAT THE VIP CAME IN PEOPLE BE GLAD THAT VIP TOOK COMTROL OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM PARETS HAS TO DO THEIR PATH AND STOP DEPENDING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO DO EVERY THING IT IS NOT THE STSTEM SOME OF THE PROBLEM ARE THE TEACHERS AND PEOPLE LIKE HOLY ROLLER CG WHO HAS THE SYSTEM FRIG UP SHE SO AND BLT NEED TO G HONE WE NEED A DIFFRENT CEO THEN TOU WILL SEE PROGRESS THE CEO IS NOT ONLY ON FAIR SHE IS A CROW SO GO NOT BLAME VIP YOU HAVE TO BLAME THE PAST MINISTER OF EDUCATIOM MYRON WALWYN WHO DID NOT KNOW A THONG ALL HE KNEW IS CLEVENNER NESS
This territory has the means to provide the BEST education in the public schools in the world. for some reason our government (for decades now) would rather throw the money at other projects (such as a $9m DDM building – so ridiculously overpriced by the market fixing of the construction industry it is unbelievable) than invest in our children whilst they send their children abroad to receive a better education than what is offered here. Why not focus money where we should? Why not have an education system that produces quality students that companies the world over would be jumping to hire … no instead we ignore the education system then put out a ‘1000 jobs in 1000 days’ initiative to make up for short-fallings in the education system – this doesn’t work and is certainly not a long term fix. A proper education system that teaches discipline, tolerance as well as providing a top level education (whether technical or academic) would change the whole future of the BVI for the better. The knock on effect in every government department and every private business here would be huge…. but it means looking at the bigger picture… it means investing our tax money in something for the whole territory and not just that which benefits a small handful of individuals…. Perhaps the current minister needs to stand up for his department instead of taking orders from others…. or perhaps he doesn’t care and is just in it for what he can get out of it ….
Covid has affected the entire globe, its how we deal with things through the pandemic that matters. Covid is not going anywhere. Some school systems make it appear as if the parents are the ones going to school. If education was of high priority, the time tables would not find an issue to be stretched into the night schooling segments. some classes can take place in the day, some in the night to segregate the children. there is no hard and fast set rule that says that classes must happen between 745AM to 300PM.
The records speak for themselves . Myron legacy in Education … VIDE .. On line CXC whole sale exams is what set the pace for the online teaching . Now there is POWER STRUGGLES can’t done . Secretaries fell they have more power than teachers, Guards feel they in control , Councellors talking down to teachers, Principals setting up
Hireachy that is pressing teachers more than enabling teachers to do their job ……. Some Eduction Officials can’t function in their role . Teachers getting all the pressures . What a ting !! More rules and regulations than …….