Ky Son mountainous district proposes teaching and learning solutions during the epidemic

The difficulties

In the 2021-2022 school year, Ky Son has 22,797 students from 71 kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools. The total number of classes is 1030, a decrease of 36 classes compared to the previous school year. The new school year is approaching, but Ky Son Education is also overwhelmed with many concerns that need to be resolved, including the implementation of online teaching.

The first difficulty in implementing online learning is that the telecommunications infrastructure in the district is not guaranteed, many villages still do not have national grid electricity and internet coverage. According to the report of the District Economic Infrastructure Department, currently, Ky Son has nearly 80/193 villages without grid electricity and internet coverage.

Keng Du kindergarten teachers clean classrooms to prepare for the new school year. Photo: Tinh Duong

As soon as receiving the official dispatch from the Department of Education and Training on implementing online teaching and learning in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the sector directed schools to survey the conditions for organizing online teaching and learning in schools throughout the district. Through the survey of schools, the percentage of students with devices (smartphones, computers, etc.) and Internet access to be able to participate online is only about 50% for schools in the district center, while in other schools, students cannot study online up to 93%.

“Bac Ly 1 Primary School has 19 classes with 342 students in 5 school locations this school year. According to the school's statistics, only about 5% of students have the means to study online. As a particularly difficult commune with the majority of poor and near-poor households, the 4 villages of Pha Coong, Phia Kham 1, Phia Kham 2, Na Kho do not have electricity or internet access, so online teaching is not possible,” said Mr. Doan Chi Trung, Principal of the school.

Teacher at Huoi Bac village, Bac Ly 2 Primary School. Photo: Tinh Duong

In addition to the difficulties in facilities, there are concerns about teaching methods for students in the first grade, especially first and second graders. The previous school year was also affected by the epidemic, causing many children to miss school, especially in the last months, when preschoolers are getting acquainted with letters. Meanwhile, first graders need teachers to train and guide them directly from the beginning. Especially when they first learn to write, they need teachers to hold their hands and guide them with each stroke.

“Na Kho village has 59 households, but all are poor and near-poor. The school here has 2 classes with more than 30 students (students in grades 3, 4, and 5 study at Bac Ly 1 Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities). The village does not have electricity or internet connection, so online teaching or other forms of teaching via television are not possible. After a long summer break, if the students do not receive direct initial guidance from the teacher, they will definitely not be able to read or write,” said teacher Nguyen Thi Hien, in charge of class 1 at Na Kho village.

Huoi Bac village school (Bac Ly, Ky Son) before the new school year. Photo: Tinh Duong

At the secondary school level, the shortage of online teaching equipment also occurs similarly. Bac Ly Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities has 11 classes and 372 students, but after the school's review, only 92 students have equipment that meets the requirements.online teaching.

“This school year, the school has 90 grade 6 students who will begin implementing the new general education program. Although during the summer, I and the teachers assigned to teach grade 6 attended training courses on teaching methods for the subject, if we do not teach directly in class, our students will not be able to absorb the knowledge of the subject,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Ky, a Literature teacher at Bac Ly Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities.

Huoi Poc School, Nam Can 2 Primary School. Photo: Tinh Duong

Another difficulty when implementing online teaching in Ky Son that needs to be taken into account is that the level and ability of parents to manage and guide students to study online at home is still limited and inadequate. Although in favorable areas, with adequate facilities, most parents are willing to provide their children with learning tools, in their minds, parents are afraid that their children's early exposure to smartphones and tablets will affect their eyesight, making them susceptible to addiction to games, electronic games and other unhealthy cultural products... Some parents think that teaching is the responsibility of the school and teachers, and that they are busy with work or do not have the expertise to help their children study.

“In fact, in the previous school year, we organized online teaching but it was only implemented in the town area, favorable areas or commune centers. In the rest, online teaching could not be implemented because many places did not have internet, did not have phones, and some parents did not care about their children's learning. Ky Son also has 126 villages, about half of which do not have electricity, so online learning is unavoidable. In the past time, the entire Ky Son education sector has been making great efforts to prepare for the new school year. The Department of Education and schools have also prepared conditions to organize online teaching, but implementing it on a large scale is difficult and many schools are confused. Therefore, the sector will propose a plan to ask for the province's separate opinions for Ky Son district," said Mr. Phan Van Thiet, Head of the district's Department of Education and Training.

Each level of education has a model.

In terms of the actual context, on the Covid-19 map, Ky Son is currently in the green zone (low-risk zone). Currently, throughout Ky Son district, the Covid-19 epidemic situation in the district is basically under control; citizens returning to their hometowns from working far away are being quarantined and strictly controlled. In education, the Boarding School model is showing good results in maintaining student numbers and improving the quality of education, and needs to continue to be promoted further in teaching and learning to ensure the principles of epidemic prevention. Based on specific conditions, the Ky Son Education Department proposes solutions to implement teaching methods in the current epidemic situation.

Na Kho School (Bac Ly 1, Ky Son) still faces many difficulties. Photo: Tinh Duong

Specifically: For preschool level, the Industry proposes not to carry out centralized care, nurturing and education of children until the epidemic is completely controlled and stabilized throughout the province.

For primary school level,For schools and school sites in difficult and isolated areas, the school will assign teachers to set up school sites and conduct direct teaching because in reality, the schools are located in isolated villages and the community Covid-19 teams are very closely managed, so the risk of spreading the disease is zero. For schools with boarding schools, organize concentrated, direct learning according to specific epidemic prevention plans such as: Implement strict management, do not allow students to leave the school campus, limit teachers and staff from going home as much as possible, implement social distancing right in the school, divide the study shifts reasonably, etc.; Only organize online teaching for favorable areas, areas with sufficient conditions for online learning.

Bac Ly 1 Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities (Ky Son) prepares for the new school year. Photo: Tinh Duong

For secondary school level, the industry proposes options for each specific school model.For schools that follow the boarding and semi-boarding model, they will organize concentrated, direct learning according to the epidemic prevention plan. The district will test (pool samples) all students before entering the school, strictly manage, not allow students to leave the school grounds, limit teachers and staff from going home, implement social distancing right in the school, divide the study shifts reasonably, minimize large gatherings... Only Muong Xen Town School is a school in a favorable area, relatively ensuring the conditions of facilities will conduct online teaching.

For high school level, online teaching will be conducted according to the plan of the Department of Education and Training.

Boarding students at Muong Long 2 Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities (Ky Son). Photo: Tinh Duong

“The options proposed by the Ky Son Education Department at the present time are very suitable to the actual situation and specific conditions of the locality. The district will propose to the province and the Department of Education and Training, and at the same time direct all levels and sectors to coordinate implementation to ensure the effectiveness of education work in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic.”

Ms. Vi Thi Quyen - Member of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Son district