Dedicated teachers minding their students have started using WhatsApp platforms to share education materials to enable learning continue to go on following closure of learning institutions countrywide due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Initially the social media platforms created by class teachers as a form of communicating messages to parents regarding urgent school programmes but now have come in handy for sharing soft copies of education materials to students.
A parent in one of the schools in Baringo county where the son studies appreciates the efforts being made by teachers in sharing revision materials and examination questions through the class WhatsApp groups.
Samples seen by KNA indicated that teachers were keeping in touch with their learners through their parents who are members of WhatsApp groups created to facilitate connection between class teachers and parents.
Some parents on the group lauded the move being made by teachers to link up with their students despite the psychological fear being experienced as numbers of coronavirus patients continue rising.
“I had not been a member of my child’s class WhatsApp group but now I can see the need at this time when children are at home,” commented one of the parents.
The parent stated that the value of mobile technology is being manifested during the current Covid-19 crisis since students have been advised to stay home and limit their physical interactions in their places of residence.
The class WhatsApp group admins have been receiving requests for adding parents to the group after some had not been captured due to unknown reasons.
The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) in collaboration with KICD has been broadcasting lessons for various classes both on TV and radio with parents being advised to make arrangements to ensure their children learn from home.
A spot check within some ever busy places in Meru County revealed that there were very few school children loitering unlike before when schools used to be out on holiday.
“This is a good indication that parents together with their children have heeded the government advisories concerning safety against the Covid-19 spread,” said Elphas Mutuma, a parent.
Mutuma said the approach of teachers sharing revision materials through WhatsApp groups whose membership is parents and teachers is helping many students stay at home with assignments to do.
He noted that this is a critical moment in education for children now that their school calendar was disrupted suddenly because of the pandemic.
He advised fellow parents to be very close to their children and give them moral support at this time of need.
By Richard Muhambe
