As internet is not easily accessible and there is a crisis in devices, disparity has appeared in online education during the corona pandemic. The digital education system must be improved for the future, keeping such pandemics in mind. Internet must be provided free of cost for education.
Also, other than internet, apps for offline use must also be provided to schools all over the country for the development of children at the primary level.
These observations were made at a webinar held on Monday, organised by the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in collaboration with Prothom Alo. It was highlighted how the VSO school app was used to make education fun for marginalised children.
Minister of post and telecommunication, Mustafa Jabbar, said that the recommendation for free internet for education was justified, adding that 99 per cent of the country was now under 4-G network coverage. However, without devices such a smartphone, the students were unable to join online classes. There was a crisis in smartphones. Also, teachers and guardians were extremely apprehensive about giving the children smartphones. The minister said, there was scope to provide children with ample content through the VSO app.
Professor of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North South University, M Rokonuzzaman said there was a shortage of long distance learning devices, resources and skills. Limitations of the digital education platform needed to be removed.
Mike Dawson, CEO of USTAD Mobile LLC, the innovator of the VSO school app for online and offline education, explained how to overcome the problem of the internet not being easily accessible. He said, once a content is downloaded online, it can then be shared offline too.
Purna Shrestha, VSO’s Lead Advisor, Education, presented how, by means of the VSO app, a huge number of students could be reached both online and offline, by creating a small number of volunteers. He said that this app was being used in seven countries. In Bangladesh, it was being used to teach children in the Rohingya camp schools.
Mary Watkins, Numeracy Expert, VSO, said all sorts of fun things could be created from discarded items to teach children in a fun manner.
Ahmed Al Kabir, Educational ICT4D Advisor, VSO, highlighted the experience of the VSO school app in Cox’s Bazar and the scope of using the app in Bangladesh.
Md Afzal Hossain Sarwar, Policy Specialist (Educational Innovation), Access to Information (a2i) Programme, said that within just one month the government had been able to bring all levels of education in the country under digitisation.
Munir Hasan, Head of Youth Programme and Events, Prothom Alo, moderated the webinar. Salahuddin Ahmed, Interim Project Implementation Lead, VSO, gave the vote of thanks.