adminShepherd Chimururi
Youth Interactive Correspondent
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic which has affected a lot especially the educational system, many parents including children, are still wondering how best virtual schools should operate.
Recently the Government announced that they have started working on mechanisms of registering virtual schools as means of complementing online classes being held as a result of the Covid19 pandemic.
Well, it is these kind of ideas that will put the country on the map in the highly competitive digitalised global village.
My only prayer is that this announcement on change of education policy will trigger tangible investment in human resource and equipment.
However, the announcement has also left tremors in the education corridors as the three key frontline stakeholders in the education industry – students, educationist and parents – are at pains to imagine how the scope of registered virtual schools will be like especially their management.
Million dollar question
For a start, the million dollar question is what constitute a virtual class or school? Which learning management systems and platforms will be licenced or approved to conduct the lessons? How will the ministry have an oversight on the schools?
How will education inspectors supervise a virtual schools?
One questioning that is evoking bouts of laughter in social media platforms is will they be addition of Whatsapp groups?
What of our unreliable network will we not hear of students that will only be able to submit exams hours or days later?
Since the virtual school occupies a virtual spaces like Google, Youtube, Facebook and Zoom among others which are beyond the direct control our laws, how will MoPSE discipline errant schools in light of the fact that he current setup is pivoted on unleashing police and hauling the offenders before the courts?
In the name of student safety how will schools deal with cyber bulling and hacking? In the event of exams who will invigilate the exams monitoring the students from home?
What will stop students from not cheating by checking answers from the notebooks?
How many parents would want their children to fail in the name of honour? While many wait for these issues to be addressed the above questions schools must move ahead with establishing their virtual departments.Whether they like it or not that is where education is going.
After all other sectors of day to day life like banking, business transactions, church services, meetings, etc, are now being done virtually.
Starting an online school can mark the beginning of an exciting journey.
Educationists are being challenged to surf the web and under study successful models of virtual schools.
It is necessary to help to brainstorm ideas on how to set up virtual schools by researching the literature and attend workshops.
Any serious virtual school will not do without a website that has customised administration features, tools and capabilities like marketing information, registration forms, subscription, promotion, payment system, subject highlights, feedback, evaluation and monitoring.
The virtual schools must upload enticing learning activities and lessons using e-books, PDFs, videos, and audio lessons. These can complemented with automated educational quizzes, revision tests and past exams papers.Recorded student and parents testimonies are also very powerful.
The curriculum coverage also need serious adjustments as we brace for virtual learning.
It is an open secret that coverage while teaching online differs perfectly from one on one.The bottom line is we just need to embrace the virtual culture implemented by the Government.
Online Reporter