With the education sector being the largest recipient of allocations with RM64.8 billion in Budget 2021, it is essential to ensure that the current online teaching-learning process is enhanced not only by addressing the insufficient digital infrastructure, but also by adjusting the current lesson plans and how the learning process should be conducted.
In brief, as all schools nationwide will be closed until Dec 17, traditionally the last day of the school year, certain assessments and learning contents could no longer take place as before, so, alternative methods are needed to achieve the same learning outcomes.
First, let’s discuss the hot issue that has long been questioned and talked since the early days of Covid-19 – inadequate digital infrastructure.
Technically, as distance learning solutions were developed to support education continuity, insufficient digital infrastructure has hampered the vulnerable students, especially those living in poor or rural areas from coping with online learning.
Even the Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin agreed with this issue, as he acknowledged that some students might find it challenging to embrace online learning with video conferencing services like Zoom or Microsoft Teams due to the limited access to communication technology.
In the same token, a study conducted by Petaling Jaya Child Councillors (PPJCC) between May and June found out that 36.19 per cent students have poor internet connectivity but are okay with the access to the online learning devices, while 37.71 per cent students have stable access to internet connectivity but disappointingly have no online learning devices.
As a means to address this issue, Malaysian government has declared the following as part of Budget 2021 in order to boost digital connectivity for 2021:
• RM1.5 billion to ensure internet connectivity for the B40 group in the form of credit of RM180 per person, to benefit eight million people;
• Malaysia Telcos to provide RM1.5 billion worth of benefits such as free Internet data;
• RM500 million for Jendela initiative to boost internet connectivity in schools;
• RM7.4 billion for MCMC to increase broadband service in 2021 and 2022
And with regards to the online learning devices, Finance Minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Zafrul announced Government-Linked Company (GLC) and Government Linked Investment Company (GLIC) will contribute RM150 million into the Tabung CERDIK to provide laptops to 150,000 students at 500 schools as a pioneer project.
Important to note while these measures sound very positive and beneficial, ensuring the results of the allocation invested is crucial, as well as a continuous engagement with stakeholders to ensure the funds were efficiently and effectively channelled.
Next, let’s move to the second problem that is equally important, which is the adjustment of existing lesson plans – or in brief – how the learning contents or process should be done and conducted to suit this new learning journey.
As reported by Malay Mail, several parents polled by the news portal are now pleading with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to intervene and develop a suitable syllabus and system to ensure their children’s development.
Instead of adhering to the old-school guidelines, teachers need to explore flexible lessons with interactive activities like games, pitches and puzzles – anything that could gain students' attention and tailor to their individual needs.
Try to look at the various forms of activity and make a note of which ones resonate with the students and don’t forget to seek for opportunities to reach students who are less outgoing than others, and talk to them if there is anything that the teachers could do to help them.
Besides, teachers could also include numerous learning support services, particularly micro-teaching principals that split the syllabus into short and concise modules – as teachers can only maintain a student’s attention span for a certain amount of time.
According to child development experts, 6-year-olds can pay attention to a subject for 12 to 18 minutes, while 12-year-olds can pay attention for 24 to 36 minutes.
Next, teachers might also want to assign offline hands-on activities for the students. Perhaps, ask the students to do a simple science project, where all the needed tools can be found at home and require less supervision from the parents.
One of the most popular and easiest science projects to do at home is by growing beans. Ask them to watch the beans grow and make it more interesting by keeping one bean in darkness and one in the light.
Let them observe the growing process and assign them to write a simple report and send to the respective teachers via WhatsApp or in the form of mini-presentation or short video – depending on the technological capabilities of the student.
Indeed, these would offer alternate ways for students to learn and at the same time, encourage teachers to enrich the learning environment for all students.
Last but not least, MOE needs to reconsider how they assess students’ performance in light of this crisis by providing schools with a defined protocol for validating non-classroom-based evaluations.
The development and execution of the e-assessment requires protective measures to ensure the authentication and authorship of the students’ work.
However, it is also vital for school authorities to consider the students’ condition and capabilities to cope with online learning and use empathy in assessing them.
Going forward, MOE should prepare a learning continuity plan for the upcoming school year and find new ways to address the learning crisis amid and post pandemic.
Afifah Suhaimi is Research Assistant at EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.
** The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.
Afifah Suhaimi
Wed Nov 18 2020
The development and execution of the e-assessment requires protective measures to ensure the authentication and authorship of the students' work. - File image via unsplash
[TERKINI] Mahkamah Tinggi arah Isa dan Emir bayar RM3.31 juta
Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur memerintahkan Tan Sri Isa Samad dan Datuk Mohd Emir Mavani Abdullah membayar lebih RM3.31 juta kepada FGV Holdings Berhad.
KJ akhirnya dapat isi PADU selepas identiti dicuri
Khairy Jamaluddin akhirnya berjaya mendaftar dalam sistem PADU selepas mendakwa akaunnya telah didaftarkan oleh individu yang tidak dikenali.
Tiada kemunculan Amad, pertemuan Man United-Brentford
Kedua-dua pasukan Manchester United dan Brentford kehilangan seorang pemain kerana penggantungan untuk pertembungan Liga Perdana Inggeris Sabtu ini.
Singgah Sahur UMPSA santuni anak yatim, agensi keselamatan
Program Singgah Sahur UMPSA bukan sekadar bertujuan berkongsi rezeki, tetapi juga menjentik rasa keinsafan dan kesyukuran.
Sarawak Energy kini penaung Majlis Tenaga Dunia, pertama dari Asia Tenggara
Sarawak Energy secara rasmi menjadi penaung global Majlis Tenaga Dunia, sekali gus menjadikannya yang pertama dari rantau Asia Tenggara.
Dua lelaki tak mengaku rompak, menyamar polis
Dua lelaki dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Sesyen Seremban pada Jumaat atas pertuduhan melakukan rompak berkumpulan terhadap seorang lelaki, minggu lalu.
Pembinaan LRT Pulau Pinang tidak melibatkan tanah yang banyak
Menurut Menteri Pengangkutan Anthony Loke Kerajaan Negeri P.Pinang telah kenal pasti jajaran tersebut dan meminimakan pengambilan tanah dan tidak melibatkan bangunan-bangunan yang banyak.
Kemalangan: 45 maut kemalangan bas di Afrika Selatan
Seramai 45 maut dan seorang cedera parah selepas terlibat dalam kemalangan bas berhampiran Mamatlakala di wilayah utara Limpopo, Afrika Selatan, pada Khamis.
'Fast track' Mahkamah Syariah selesai kes cerai dalam masa sehari
Perkhidmatan laluan pantas atau 'fast track' Mahkamah Rendah Syariah Wilayah Persekutuan yang diperkenalkan pada 2021 berjaya menyelesaikan kes antaranya cerai dalam masa sehari.
Ops Samba 2.0: Ketirisan akibat penyeludupan di Kargo KLIA cecah RM2 bilion - KP SPRM
Jumlah ketirisan akibat kegiatan sindiket penyeludupan babitkan beberapa anggota Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia di Kargo KLIA mencecah RM2 bilion bagi tempoh tiga tahun lepas.