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Tinashe Nyamushanya Youth Interactive Writer
With various sectors taking a hit during the Covid-19 related lockdowns, the most affected has been the education sector which has left many of us concerned with the question “will our education systems survive the current ongoing pandemic”.
The fallout from the pandemic threatens to depress this generation’s prospects and constrict their opportunities far into adulthood.
The ripple effects may undermine their chances of attending college and ultimately finding a fulfilling job that enables them to support a family.
It will be ignorant of us if we do not attest to the fact that our future generations are under the threat of credibility in their academic endeavours.
This situation has really tested our will power in terms of education and it would be unjust if we turned to our old systems to teach the younger generation as it has proven to be inferior to the requirements of the situation we are in as of now.
The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic hit us and forced us out of our comfort zones to accommodate the current situation we were facing at that particular time, in other words it has ushered in the revolution of the way we viewed how education should have been conducted.
What we considered western ways of educating youths and unnecessary ways as a move, at times to avoid costs, has now turned into mainstream education methods especially some methods such as home schooling and online lessons.
My view is that we shouldn’t have been caught unaware but should have rather developed alongside the rest of the world. The technological age we live in requires that we move along with the developments, though the effects of the technological age to our generations is another topic for another day. The aftermath of the pandemic has certainly revealed that the more we ignore development, the more we are left behind and the more we suffer as we try to adjust to new systems.
For instance during the period when online lessons were being conducted, just because we didn’t develop the education systems in terms of technological advance, the rural and very remote schools were at a disadvantage because they didn’t the resources to continue with their studies.
It is situations like these that bring us backwards when we are trying to pedal forwards. If we are to have a level plane field for all students in Zimbabwe, then all students must receive similar standard of education.
Zimbabwe is filled with the most talented minds but the lack of funds and development at some institutions has really restricted the capability of some students towards success. However, there’s light at the end of the tunnel though due to some circumstances the light switches off and we are left to linger in darkness.
Hard times are not yet over, we as the youth and peers of the current younger generation should step in to help our little brothers and sisters get a concrete education. This is due to the fact that our teachers are being overwhelmed with duties required of them.
To tell the truth very little time is being given to our siblings and the rate at which information is being delivered to them to prepare for exams can improve if all those capable can step in during holidays so that our education system doesn’t falter due to the challenges we are seeing right now.
It was really sad to see that after the Covid-19 tragedy that struck us, when lessons were to continue, teachers went on strike demanding more on their current wages. As a result some opted to teaching extra lessons while not fully delivering their duty to students in classes which meant that education was now only for those who could afford extra lessons and those who could afford the high data charges. What we fail to see is that we are shooting ourselves in the foot , because we are failing to do our duties as the older generation, which will only ruin us and the youth and future generations.
Let’s stop the blame game and build our economy together because everyone has a role to play in the development of our economy. We as the youths should be committed to learning from our teachers and when need be, teach the younger generations while also incorporating the new innovative ways, so that we might avoid the situation some students are currently facing in the future.
Online Reporter