C19 Vs Education: Children Learning is Important too

As important as it is to stop the C19 pandemic from spreading in PNG, it is also important to educate our children at this trying time. This is the message on a thread in PNG Insight. I've fixed the messages and re-posted them here. 

The message is clear. The govt must also give equal and undivided attention to the education of our children at this time. 

Twitter discussion/thread

Two questions of significance

1/10
The first question is: what are the resources (Edu officers, equipment, technology, etc) are available, at present, within the education dept that the PNG govt can use for mass educating elementary to secondary school students?

2/10
The second question is what is there for the Higher Education sector (DHESRT)...can the universities and colleges use their resources to conduct non-contact classes...LAN, Wifi, etc?

Challenges to be proactive

3/10

The challenge is not to let this pandemic stop this generation of children from learning this year...so how best can DHERST and Education Ministry use the available resources to ensure learning takes place even?

4/10

DHERST and the Education Department cannot be complacent. They have to be proactive. 

The schools have closed early. We know the 27th of April on only a tentative date for school to open. 


There is no need to be scared. However, there is always safety in planning. 

Vision for long-term benefit

5/10

Importantly, this pandemic will come to pass, surely. With that in mind, put in place something that is permanent, something tangible so that when this is gone, our children will still benefit from it...this is called VISION.

6/10

The govt's priority is stopping the C19 pandemic. But, it must not be distracted from its responsibility to educate *THIS GENERATION* of students!

Don't be one dimensional, Mr govt. 


You have the duty to educate the kid, if/when the schools are re-opened or not.

7/10

Having said 1 - 6, it would be better for DHERST and Education Department (in collaboration with the SoE team) to CLEARLY spell-out what is going to happen:


(1) If/when unis, colleges and schools in affected regions/country will resume term 2 school year

8/10

(2) If school are to close indefinitely, what are the LEARNING INTERVENTIONS for 2020 are in place for the children?

Interventions measures?

9/10

The task to educate children en masse is not easy in our country. 


Parents are the ones who are at the receiving end. But, at least some intervention measures put in place are better than nothing - we cannot say let us take one day at a time.

10/10

DHERST and Education Department must know called on the SOE committee and find out, for the sake of parents and students, what is there for the academic year 2020. 


END!