COVID-19: Reps To Review School Curriculum

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services has stressed the need to review the school curriculum in line with current challenges.

The new curriculum would be geared towards strengthening the teachings of Sciences, Health Sciences and Social Studies to incorporate good knowledge of infectious diseases.

The call was contained in a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, signed by the committee’s chairman, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere.

He noted that the pandemic had further exposed the need for relevant new technology in the nation’s school system.

The committee commended the minister for introducing online teaching, but however, stated that students in the rural areas were left out due to lack of electricity and internet facilities.

The letter in parts:

“In view of the fact that the general school system will be greatly impacted henceforth, our committee hopes that the ministry will be in the forefront of developing teaching applications that will contain all subjects offered by pupis/students with a view to promoting online learning.

“Special efforts should be made through existing structures to monitor full compliance with school reopening protocols and produce bi – weekly report. Those in charge should be required to produce on challenges and best practices.”

“It is our expectation that a special program would be put in place to expose students in under- served areas to what they missed in the online classes.”

The committee also advised all public and private schools to sensitize their pupils/students adequately on the dangers of COVID-19 and its attendant consequences, and possible ways of protecting themselves from being infected.

It further urged the minister to direct the managements of all public and private schools nationwide to fumigate schools before reopening to protect students from coronavirus.