UNICEF’s Education Specialist, Quality of Education and System
Strengthening, Fiaz Shah, has expressed serious concerns regarding the
reintegration of marginalised children into schools.
“Children who are slow learners, unprivileged or who were already
behind are vulnerable already, and our research shows if they miss out
certain times from school, they are unlikely to come back. So we must
make sure that during the reopening, we get those children back in
school,” he said.
In addition, he said further steps must be taken to reintegrating
marginalised out-of-school children and ensuring there was a catch-up
opportunity aimed at the education component they missed during
schooling, or risk these students dropping out.
Outlining an estimated 60,000 children in Trinidad and Tobago were
without laptops or tablets to attend online schooling, he said the new
approach to education will also encourage use of technology and once
again, the children lacking these devices will be kept apart from the
peers in participation and as a direct result, drop-outs will
increase.
“As education planners, this is one of the areas that we promote
equity in learning. We do find ways how to make sure that all of the
children benefit from blended education. Of course, when schools
reopen, health hygiene and all those measures will be for other
children and learning will be for other children,” Shah said.
He therefore asked the over 500 educational professionals and parents
watching the PAHO webinar on COVID-19 and the School Environment
yesterday to share their ideas on how these students could best be
aided. (JMB)