The Education Ministry should understand that some children do not have access to the internet to retrieve educational materials during this COVID-19 pandemic.
This, according to SODELPA MP Ro Teimumu Kepa when speaking on the 2016-2017 ministry’s annual report.
She said the ministry needed to come up with better strategies during this pandemic.
She said the pandemic was far worse than Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016 and it had been seven weeks now that children have been out of school.
She said students were given worksheets, radio broadcasts and television education programs from the ministry.
“But, Mr Speaker, my question is who is monitoring and supervising these students.
“This might not be the end of the COVID-related times away from school, Mr Speaker, so they need to have laptops that they are looking at, to help them out for these COVID times.
“The Ministry of Education will have to come up with better strategies, COVID strategies for students to learn while they are at home because there will be other disruptions.”
In response, Education Minister Rosy Akbar said it was the responsibility of parents and guardians to monitor their children at home.
She said it was quite difficult for the ministry to monitor children during this pandemic.
