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John Mokwetsi
Two primary school children sit on the dusty ground outside a small house in the high-density suburb of Glen View, Harare. Both are listening attentively to the radio while a school lesson about English is being broadcast.
The portable digital radio powered by rechargeable batteries has become a crucial tool to these Grade Five pupils.
Evans and Audrey have not been going to school since the end of March when the Covid-19 pandemic schools closed to prevent spread of the disease.
“The English teacher is my favourite. My friend, Audrey, visits so that we listen together and give each other guidance,” Evans says. “At first it was hard for me to follow because I like the class set-up, but I am getting used to it.”
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, with support from UNICEF Zimbabwe, launched the radio lessons programme in June, starting with the primary school level.
The roll out of the radio lessons was a commitment by the Government to providing education during the Covid -19 induced schools’ closures.
Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and Global Partnership for Education (GPE) have been supporting the development and broadcast of the radio lessons.
UNICEF, globally is calling on governments to prioritize reopening schools and to take all possible measures to reopen safely. School closures have devastating consequences, with marginalized children paying the heaviest price.
When governments decide to keep schools closed, they must scale up remote learning opportunities for all children.
Learning subjects being covered include Mathematics, Indigenous Languages, English, Science and Technology, and Heritage Studies.
So far, the lessons are catering for primary school pupils from ECD to Grade Seven with a plan to expand to secondary school lessons.
“I do miss the play ground. I miss laughter with my friends. I also miss my favourite Maths teacher,” says Evans. “I understand that there is Covid-19. I hear about it a lot and I know what it means. Radio lessons bring me closer to my friends because I know they are also listening in. At least I have Audrey and it creates a class environment, even though it is just the two of us.”
Radio lessons were part of local radio programming until 2001. The re-launch of the vital learning tool has been hailed as a good move for continuous learning during the current emergency.
Audrey hopes the radio lessons will continue even when the schools open. “They give us more extra lessons. My mother cannot afford to pay for lessons outside school. I like the Heritage Studies lessons most and I am struggling with Maths, but Evans helps me,” she says.
Despite the benefits, for some families, a radio receiver is beyond their reach and poses a challenge in supporting their children to catch up with the lessons.
Joice Mushanyuri of Chitungwiza points out that for those with radios that relied on electricity, outages were also posing a challenge.
“Electricity has been largely available until recently when we started to experience outages. This then becomes a barrier. There is also the aspect of those who have battery powered radios, not willing to have communal listening for fear of bringing too many people under one roof, itself one of the dangers of spreading Covid-19,” she says.
In Caledonia, Harare, communal radio lessons listening is becoming common. MOC distributed radios that have become critical for people in the area.
Tichafa Mubvuyiwa, MOC’s Communications Officer, offered appreciation to the Government and UNICEF in bringing these lessons to children in this difficult time.
“What we had to do after seeing that for some vulnerable children support was needed, was to provide radios. We distributed 250 receivers and it has been amazing seeing how learning has continued.”
UNICEF plans to procure and distribute 2 500 radio sets for disadvantaged communities to support continuous learning as the Covid-19 emergency measures continue.
The radio lessons have not been without challenges with some care-givers suggesting that there should be a feedback mechanism for students to ask on areas of misunderstanding.
Takura Mhere, a parent of a Grade Seven pupil who is set to write his examinations in December says: “Sometimes he does not understand some concepts and if I am not there to assist, he does not have anyone to ask. There could be a way to establish a feedback mechanism.”
For some, the mobile phone has proven to be helpful. Most smart mobile phones come with a radio application and has hugely been the preferred way to access radio stations in Zimbabwe.
The convergence between radio and mobile phones is stretching out the communicative space.
For Evans and other learners, school continues, albeit on radio with anticipation of schools reopening. — UNICEF.
Online Reporter