COVID-19 and Learning: Online isn't working. Send the kids back to real school.

Author: S. Gordon-Jeffery

opinion piece with evidence

Date: September 6, 2021

On Monday, September 6, 2021 (today), the academic term 2021 - 2022 began for thousands of Jamaican students. Instead of face-to-face classes however, the Ministry of Education settled on resuming its online learning programme, a system that has so far proven to be a colossal failure. 

The Ministry position

In August, Hon. Fayval Williams had announced, after the arrival of batches of the Pfizer vaccine, that face-to-face classes would only be permitted for students who were vaccinated.

After a petition, signed by 10,000 Jamaicans was launched on August 22, and addressed to the Prime Minister and Education Minister accused them of coercing parents into vaccinating their children (Loop News, August 2021), the government changed their tune and said they would only allow in-person tutelage if Secondary School institutions could get 65% or more of their students vaccinated. On August 27, a little over 28,000 children were vaccinated (Jamaica Gleaner). Don't kill mi. I don't have the latest figures. Haven't seen them on MOH website either, so don't kill mi!

This has left many parents with a dilemma, especially those who have already made plans in expectation that their children would be going back to school. For parents with children attending basic school (early childhood institutions) and primary/preparatory schools, does this mean that their kids have to stay home too? Can children who attend or would be attending a private institution have face-to-face classes with their teachers?

The Ministry of Education is focused specifically on students 12 - 18 years, the group attending high school to get vaccinated, since the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine only has emergency authorization to be given to that group. The message however is not clear on what will happen to those children below 12 years old, since there is not a vaccine available for them. We do need our children to be engaged in effective learning, online learning has not shown that it is. Shouldn't the Ministry consider allowing in-person classes for those children, even if on a phased in basis?

Based on what we know particularly about this strain of the coronavirus, the impact on the young is fairly mild. Even with the new Delta variant now in Jamaica, the number of persons affected below 18 years old is still low.

Check the stats 

According to statistics from the Bustamante Hospital for Children there were only 157 cases of the coronavirus in children, between the period May 2020 to August 25, 2021 (Murphy, 2021). The average number of cases however were 11, between May and December last year.

The highest number of cases, 33, was actually in March 2021 during the second wave.  Even though there was a slight increase in January, March and April this year, overall the cases each month have been below 20. In August however, the numbers shot back up to 30, which is 3 cases less than in March (Murphy, 2021). 

Now, I do agree that it would have been best if no child was exposed and caught the virus, but the reality is, this disease is contagious. Now that the Delta variant, an even more contagious strain is in the island, we must expect that some children will be affected. Even with this reality, based on the data, we can be assured that infection rates among children will remain low and the majority of cases may be mild or asymptomatic. 

So what should we be looking at?

We should be looking at the number of cases and the severity of the symptoms. 

According to figures from the children's hospital, there were only four (4) critical cases (Murphy, 2021). So, the majority of the cases experienced mild symptoms --that's 4 critical cases out of 157 patients. Let's put it a different way for perspective --153 of the children in hospital with COVID-19 experienced mild symptoms. The average stay in the hospital was five (5) days. Those children with underlying illnesses such as cancer, sickle cell disease, etc stayed longer because their immune systems were compromised by these comorbidities. Two (2) patients regrettably passed away but all others recovered (Murphy, 2021). According to the hospital's information these two (2) children died due to underlying cancer ailments. The longest stay by a Covid patient in hospital was attributed to the fact that that patient had severe burns, and they also recovered. 

So what am I saying with these statistics? What I am saying is that once all protocols are observed -- children wearing masks, sanitization stations, social distancing, there is no reason they should not be allowed to go back to school face-to-face, especially if they are not immuno-compromised. 

My recommendations

Parents could be asked to go to their doctor's office or medical centres and request that a physician do an examination of the child --motor skills, blood work, urine sample and so on, just to make sure the child is fine. The doctor could then supply the parents with a letter which they will take to the school as part of the admission process. The child could be examined further by the school nurse if the school wishes, to satisfy their own requirements. Those examinations can be done two (2) days to a week (7 days) before admission to face-to-face classes. Children found to be ill --having a fever, runny nose, and so on, can be asked to stay home until they recover. Those who are healthy should be allowed in school. There is no reason to allow the further cognitive rot of our children. 

Lost children

Couple months ago, July I think, I heard there were approximately 120,000 children who had not even once logged on to a computer, tablet or phone for online classes. I was reminded again of that figure when I read an article in the weekend edition of the Gleaner (September 4-5, 2021). Cyaa call it Sunday Gleaner cause a lock down. Besides that 120,000 number jumping out at me again, I learned that the summer program the Education ministry claimed would help children who were absent from online classes to catch up, was woefully lacking. For one thing the classes were held only two (2) days a week and were for only two (2) hours each day. 

By di time di pickney dem reach class, dem blink dem yeye two time, a time fi dem guh home! 

According to Linton Weir, principal of Old Harbour High School:

"We had about 220 students participating in the programme...I was...expecting that it would be more than just two days for a week and two hours for each day. I think it was extremely short. If it was longer, our students would have been able to get much more." (Gordon, 2021, p. A2)

Another point which I noticed was that the rural schools experienced low turn out to these summer sessions, especially from 5th form/grade 11 students, many of whom found other things to occupy their times. 

According to two (2) senior teachers at a high school in Clarendon (school name withheld), the children who they really wanted to see didn't even bother to turn up for the remedial classes. One of them revealed:

"The ones that we needed to see were the ones who stayed home. It was the same ones who were online that came out so it still did not work out the way we would have wanted. The parents needed to have sent out the children." (Gordon, 2021, p. A2)

The sad reality is that from last year March until now, students have not been attending school in the traditional sense. Teachers not only impart knowledge, they provide a stable, guiding, reassuring presence in the life of their students. In the physical presence of teachers who ensure the students are constructively occupied and engaged, our children have a much better chance of learning and steering clear of negative influences.

Some persons would argue that since the child is at home the parents can be the ones to supervise the kids to make sure they do the work the teachers send to them. The reality however is, most parents have to work, especially in a single parent home where the mother is the breadwinner, there is very little time for mom to sit down with the child to check for work done. 

Many parents are fretting right now! Think about it... 

If the parents have to go to work and they can't afford a nanny or tutor to monitor them, which is most Jamaican parents, who is watching the child? Who will ensure the child logs on to the internet and does exactly what they're suppose to do --which is online learning? Who will ensure they are not online looking at porn or watching Youtube all day? Or caught up on the road, up to no good?

Parents could check their child's school books. True, they could, but not all parents would know if what their child did made sense, as in, some wouldn't be able to tell if their child's work needed correction. Bear in mind also that some parents will trust that the child was in online class all day, and because they are caught up with work and providing food and paying bills, they may not check with the teachers to make sure the child is learning. 

Unsupervised in these COVID times all sorts of things could happen, including teenage preganancy. In an article by the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) on December 2, 2020, a speech was shared from Dr. Denise Chevannes, HIV/AIDS Officer at the United Nations Population Fund Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean, which revealed Jamaica has the third highest adolescent pregnancy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean (Mundle, 2020). The doctor's concern related to COVID-19 restrictions and the resulting closure of schools exacerbating an already chronic problem of teenage pregnancy in our country was also highlighted. 

She noted that the closure of schools "...will cause even more girls to drop out of schools and the interruption in schools is also likely to increase domestic responsibilities for girls and leads to a premature shift towards income generation... outside of the protective environment provided by schools, many girls are more susceptible to adolescent pregnancy and gender-based violence" (Mundle, 2020).

Yuh read weh she seh? School is a "protective environment", a safe space if you will, for our young girls. No doubt, it is a safe haven for our teen boys as well, away from gangs and badmanship. So I ask the question again --when the parents are at work who will watch the children? No matter how we want to deny the truth, we know there are some kids who require a lot more effort from parents and teachers to keep them on the straight and narrow. Let's not be hypocrites now, we know this is true! Some come from really tough backgrounds, but with the care, nurture and stern discipline of teachers and the regimented structure of school, these children can do very well. Also, with the various clubs and other extra curricula activities, these children can grow and develop the discipline they need, and from school many learn the skills required to be successful adults.

One thing Dr. Chevannes said was echoed by one of the teachers of the Clarendon high school. The doctor said closure of schools "...leads to a premature shift towards income generation" (Mundle, 2020). The senior teacher revealed that since the pandemic she has seen some of her students --the ones who did not attend online sessions --in the May Pen market vending. You would agree with me that children should be in school, especially during school hours, right? Right! So, why aren't they? 

And what about learning losses?

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security recently did research on the COVID-19 and its impact on productivity.  In the document titled, 'Assessing Education and Productivity, dated March 2021, it said: 

"...the prolonged closure of schools will have a lasting impact on the cohort of students experiencing these shifts in educational system. It is believed that early-childhood education will be the most impacted due to the sudden change in teaching and learning environment for younger children. Additionally, students at tertiary and secondary level may lose over 25% of what they learn due to the five (5) months closure of schools (and overall teaching) as compared to the normal three (3) months period during the summer. Also, matriculation rates may decrease leading to an increased number of dropouts. This can result in the loss of skills within the labour force which can further impact productivity levels" (Thomas, 2021).

Bam! Seet deh! 

Look pon di part mi put in bold. Weh it seh? Di students dem lose 25% of wat dem learn becaaz a di five (5) months dem out a skool. Yes online classes a gwaan but skool nah kip and no learning nah tek place. Is like dem brain shut off! And without anything to exercise it (brain), i.e. face to face interaction of teachers and their peers, is like dem nuh memba nuttin.

Is not lie! I have a teacher friend that was doing tutoring over the summer months. Him seh is like di pickney dem figet everyting dem learn di previous year. Dem all nuh memba basic maths and equations! 

The longer di pickney dem stay outta a skool, di duncer dem get.

Online classes are not working for many. And how could it if a large portion of the population have poor working or no internet access, or a decent device to access the classes? The Ministry says it will be having classes for 24 hours on two TV stations. Let's see how that goes.

Given all the information I have shared here, why can't the Ministry of Education, the parents and teachers, and their organized body (National Parent-Teachers' Association of Jamaica) and other stakeholders, collaborate to come up with a workable plan that will save our children? There are already 120,000 children lost, many of whom they have not heard from once, not even once. These children or teens may not immediately return or may never return to the formal education system. Are we as a nation prepared to lose more? I hope not!

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References

1. Jamaica Gleaner.  'In-person teaching will depend on vaccination rate at schools - MOE', published 27 August 2021, https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20210827/person-teaching-will-depend-vaccination-rate-schools-moe
2. Loop News. '10,000 J’cans sign petition against coercing vaccination of children', published 25 August 2021,  https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/10000-jcans-sign-petition-against-coercing-vaccination-children
3. Murphy, Judana. 'Doctor: Guard children in fight against COVID-19', Jamaica Gleaner, published 27 August 2021, https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20210827/doctor-guard-children-fight-against-covid-19
4. Gordon, T. (2021, September 4-6). 'We are losing our students': Parents, teachers anxious for resumption of face-to-face learning,  Jamaica Gleaner: The Weekend Edition. Page A2.
5. Mundle, T. 'Focus on adolescent pregnancy prevention - Dr Chevannes'. Jamaica Information Service, published 29 November 2020, https://jis.gov.jm/focus-on-adolescent-pregnancy-prevention-dr-chevannes/
6. Thomas, D. 'Assessing Education and Productivity', Ministry of Labour and Social Security, PDF. Retrieved from Assessing_Education_and_Productivity_Article_David-Thomas-v5.pdf