PLANS are being drawn up to provide distance learning to students after classes at schools, universities and educational institutions were suspended until further notice in light of the coronavirus crisis, writes Mohammed Al A’Ali.
Parliament’s services committee, headed by chairwoman Fouzia Zainal, met Education Minister Dr Majid Al Nuaimi and his team yesterday to discuss an urgent proposal in this regard.
The proposal, spearheaded by Ms Zainal and four MPs, aims at ensuring there is no disruption to education.
She added that public interest requires co-operation between the legislative and executive authorities to come up with solutions during any emergency situation.
Dr Al Nuaimi said the unprecedented circumstances require effective and active measures.
“We have to continue coming up with solutions and ideas for exceptional circumstances to ensure the educational system doesn’t get affected with it being the pillar for development.”
Committee chairman Mamdooh Al Saleh said the virus has not just disrupted education, but has also affected the country and the entire world.
“We believe the minister is working positively but the current distance learning is not on the right track as students don’t tend to watch the entire lesson, with their parents being at work or busy making a living.
“Downloading material and live streaming are expensive, connectivity is unreliable and without a real assessment or grading many students don’t tend to bother.”
Mr Al Saleh said Parliament two weeks ago rejected a proposal to cancel the remainder of the educational year and acknowledge the grades of the first semester.
“The proposal was wrong considering that it means we are pushing failures to the next grade and a gap in education would be available since half of the books are left untaught amongst other issues,” he said.
“We don’t know if this crisis will be resolved next month or in a year so the ministry needs to give us solutions – we didn’t talk in the meeting about making cyber education compulsory.”
He said that several private kindergartens and schools were asking parents to pay, which the ministry said it would resolve and present the outcome of soon.
