Confusion over 'WhatsApp education'
Schoolteachers have been directed to create WhatsApp groups onto which to upload lessons for children, starting today.
ILENI NANDJATO
ONDANGWA
Education minister Anna Nghipondoka yesterday refused to answer questions piling up on her ministry regarding its decision to start online classes for public schools, as confusion ringers. There is a lot of confusion about what is expected from teachers working from home during lockdown.
Some say it is a time for teachers to prepare their lesson plans, while others believe they are required to teach learners online.
Sources have informed Namibian Sun that during the recent school holiday, the ministry of education conducted a survey to find out how many teachers and learners have internet access and the devices needed for online education.
It is reported that the survey found that most teachers, but only a few learners, have smartphones and internet access.
The most frequently asked question is who will provide teachers and parents with e-learning devices and data.
Nghipondoka referred all questions to executive director Sanet Steenkamp, who could not be reached by phone.
WhatsApp groups
The education director for Oshana Region, Hileni Amukana, said parents must contact their children's teachers to be added to WhatsApp groups where teachers will upload activities for the learners.
She said these WhatsApp groups will be monitored by school principals.
“Parents are expected to take activities from these WhatsApp groups and teach their children at home. Each subject teacher will have their own WhatsApp group and parents need to teach all those subjects. This is just a way of keeping children and teachers busy during lockdown,” Amukana said.
“Once school resumes, teachers will continue where they left off. However, there will be special provision for learners who had no access to online learning.”
Teachers
Some teachers who spoke to Namibian Sun complained that although they have smartphones, these are for private use as they were not provided by the ministry.
Some claim that parents abuse the platform by calling them in the middle of the night while they are sleeping asking about school matters.
“To me working from home means I must study the scheme of work and do my lesson plans. There is no way I will do work-related activities with the cellphone I bought for myself and recharge airtime myself,” said a teacher.
“Some parents are forever complaining that they do not have airtime to follow things on WhatsApp groups, while others call us in the middle of the night or while at drinking places asking about school-related issues. This will not be a good platform at all,” said another teacher.
NANTU
The Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU) secretary-general, Loide Shaanika , said this arrangement was made in consultation with the union and some teachers already have WhatsApp groups up and running.
“WhatsApp group learning is not something new to the teachers and parents. We are aware that there are some teachers and parents who do not have smartphones to be able to communicate or follow. We are looking if we can get partners on board and willing to assist with gadgets or data for teachers and parents,” Shaanika said.
“Another thing is that learning hubs have been identified in different regions where teachers will be dropping learning materials and parents are expected to collect them so they can go teach their children. These materials can be used by any learner from any region or school.”
ONDANGWA
Education minister Anna Nghipondoka yesterday refused to answer questions piling up on her ministry regarding its decision to start online classes for public schools, as confusion ringers. There is a lot of confusion about what is expected from teachers working from home during lockdown.
Some say it is a time for teachers to prepare their lesson plans, while others believe they are required to teach learners online.
Sources have informed Namibian Sun that during the recent school holiday, the ministry of education conducted a survey to find out how many teachers and learners have internet access and the devices needed for online education.
It is reported that the survey found that most teachers, but only a few learners, have smartphones and internet access.
The most frequently asked question is who will provide teachers and parents with e-learning devices and data.
Nghipondoka referred all questions to executive director Sanet Steenkamp, who could not be reached by phone.
WhatsApp groups
The education director for Oshana Region, Hileni Amukana, said parents must contact their children's teachers to be added to WhatsApp groups where teachers will upload activities for the learners.
She said these WhatsApp groups will be monitored by school principals.
“Parents are expected to take activities from these WhatsApp groups and teach their children at home. Each subject teacher will have their own WhatsApp group and parents need to teach all those subjects. This is just a way of keeping children and teachers busy during lockdown,” Amukana said.
“Once school resumes, teachers will continue where they left off. However, there will be special provision for learners who had no access to online learning.”
Teachers
Some teachers who spoke to Namibian Sun complained that although they have smartphones, these are for private use as they were not provided by the ministry.
Some claim that parents abuse the platform by calling them in the middle of the night while they are sleeping asking about school matters.
“To me working from home means I must study the scheme of work and do my lesson plans. There is no way I will do work-related activities with the cellphone I bought for myself and recharge airtime myself,” said a teacher.
“Some parents are forever complaining that they do not have airtime to follow things on WhatsApp groups, while others call us in the middle of the night or while at drinking places asking about school-related issues. This will not be a good platform at all,” said another teacher.
NANTU
The Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU) secretary-general, Loide Shaanika , said this arrangement was made in consultation with the union and some teachers already have WhatsApp groups up and running.
“WhatsApp group learning is not something new to the teachers and parents. We are aware that there are some teachers and parents who do not have smartphones to be able to communicate or follow. We are looking if we can get partners on board and willing to assist with gadgets or data for teachers and parents,” Shaanika said.
“Another thing is that learning hubs have been identified in different regions where teachers will be dropping learning materials and parents are expected to collect them so they can go teach their children. These materials can be used by any learner from any region or school.”
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