World Teachers' Day 2020 - Teaching in global pandemic

World Teachers' Day 2020 - Teaching in a global pandemic

5/10/2020

2020 has been a year like no other. The global pandemic has created universal challenges to accessing education that millions have never faced before and the traditional model of teaching in a classroom environment has had to quickly adapt to the new normal.

For the last 30 years, Children on the Edge has been finding creative solutions to help children in the most challenging situations access education. Throughout the current coronavirus crisis the teachers we work with have been vital in ensuring that children are still able to learn despite the restrictions in place.

In Kyaka II we train refugees to teach, so that they are equipped with the skills for their future careers and to replicate our model of early childhood education, if and when a return home is possible. These dedicated teachers are only paid expenses, but have access to free university education. They are also given the opportunity to set up their own businesses through our small business loan scheme.

Before lockdown, 28 small business loans were given out to teachers from the first eight ECD Centres that we supported. Our Loans officer followed up with all of the teachers and although a small number struggled as they were selling clothes and the markets were shut due to lockdown, the majority have maintained successful businesses despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Complimenting our radio home lessons programme in Kyaka II, the teachers have also delivered ECD home study materials to 3,190 children in all of the zones of the camp where we work. It was a huge achievement to implement this distance learning and it also enabled the teachers to check in on the children’s wellbeing.

Meet Pascali
Pascali Samuel has been teaching in Kaborogotta ECD centre in Kyaka II since 2019. He is one of the dedicated teachers who run a small business alongside teaching. As he is only paid expenses for teaching as well as a reduced food allowance from the World Food Programme, he has often struggled to afford certain items including the style of clothing that is fashionable for someone of his age.

After receiving a business loan from COTE Africa, Pascali set up a smoked fish stall, which he described as a ‘dream come true’ despite the fact that it has taken hard work to keep going in the current circumstances. Pascali’s stall has enabled him to keep going through lockdown, put some savings aside and buy a few of the clothing items that he couldn’t afford before.

Our teachers in the Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh have also been adapting to a new way of teaching. As all the schools have to remain closed, they are now teaching groups of students in their homes. Holding three socially distanced lessons per day for groups of around five students, these lessons are enabling 6,750 children to continue their schooling.

As well as teaching, the teachers in Kutupalong have been helping to maintain the Learning Centres whilst they are closed. Last month, along with some of the children, they spent the entire day planting new trees around the classrooms.

These were planted in the outside space surrounding every single centre, replacing many that had been damaged in the storms. Now, when the children come back after lockdown, they'll be returning to colourful, welcoming surroundings.

The pandemic has created many new hurdles to delivering education, but teachers across all the projects we support have adapted to new methods and shown huge dedication in ensuring that the children they teach are safe, looked after and progressing in their learning.