Photo taken before the MCO shows Lukanisman in a ‘wefie’ with the pupils of SK Batu Niah during a programme at the school.
MIRI: The Ministry of Education (MoE) should re-evaluate the implementation of online teaching-learning throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, specifically when it comes to schoolchildren in the rural areas who are without internet access.
In highlighting this, Sibuti MP Lukanisman Awang Sauni says he is currently obtaining the views from the educators among his constituents about the way the teaching-learning process is being done during this period.
He also points out that so far, the ministry has not yet made any decision about the reopening of schools after the lifting of the MCO, which is due on April 28.
“I support the internet and e-learning methods. The government has also been broadcasting the education programmes (on television), which I think is accessible to the majority of the population.
“However, parents in the rural areas have voiced their concern about their children’s learning activities at home.
“Since the transition of analogue television transmission to digital transmission, some rural communities have not been able to access (the education programmes) specifically those who have yet to receive the digital decoders,” he told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
Nonetheless, Lukanisman commended the educators who had gone the extra mile to ensure that the learning process would still continue during the MCO.
“Congratulations to these educators – they know how important education is for their students.
“I can see that some teachers are willing to go to the longhouses and villages just to send homework to the students, which is indeed a noble work.
“Nonetheless, the biggest obstacle for rural students is the lack of internet access, so it’s difficult for the parents to know the instruction or the learning modules. The current method is via WhatsApp group, where schools would approach the parents with regard to homework for their children,” he added.
In this respect, Lukanisman suggested that longhouse chieftains, village headmen and parents work together in coming up with a viable method to enable teaching and learning be done at home.
“The cooperation from parents is vital to ensure that their children would do the homework and study; otherwise, it would be pointless.
“I am also waiting for the full response from the educators on the methods that could ensure that the students would spend their time wisely during the MCO, especially those who are facing public examinations.
“I do hope that the MoE would prepare a new framework on the national education policy post-MCO, during which mass gatherings and group activities cannot be carried out,” he said.
Lukanisman also expressed his hope that the government would not overlook the educational needs of the rural children and youths, as he would not want anyone to be left out and left behind in this year’s teaching-learning sessions.