Online Education in Sri Lankan Schools
Online education can easily be summed up as a form of distant education. Distant education was initially conducted in Sri Lanka using the ordinary mail services.
Let's look back.
For instance, this was a common practice used by universities in conducting their post graduate courses. The assignments were posted with the relevant modules to the students and they in turn , having duly completed them , returned them to the university. The students attended lectures occasionally keeping to a schedule. Hence, one can even say, distant education depended heavily on correspondence.
Covid-19
The concept of modern online education comes into popularity with the outbreak of the Corona Pandemic. Universities , schools and all such educational institutions were forced to shut down to prevent the spread of the deadly virus: The Covid-19. The educational institutions of every kind; from the kindergarten to the university, was left stranded.
Sri Lankan universities make a breakthrough.
With uncertainty rising high in the circles of education, attention was automatically focused on online modes of education. This was first launched by the Sri Lankan universities. Though, at the beginning , university authorities struggled with numerous practical issues such as the availability of computers, laptops , smartphones , tabs and then data, gradually the system started bearing fruits. Today, according to the university authorities, online educational activities are fully functional with a higher percentage of participation.
Schools In Sri Lanka
The trend of resorting to online modes of teaching and learning gradually turned towards the school system, too. At first, teachers who had some level of technical knowledge and facilities started up the work. It was a herculean task. The majority of the school community is from ordinary middle class families.
The very first thing teachers had to do was to establish the parents' trust for this novel concept. The reason, partly being the aversion of ordinary people for online activities. The impression of the internet which had been created in the hearts and minds of the ordinary people was not a positive one. Teachers and the religious institutions of the country had created the internet as one of monsters which ruin their little ones. Ironically, teachers themselves played a big role in doing it. The reason is most people of this country identify internet with social media.
As a matter of fact, the young in Sri Lanka are not properly coached as to how the benefits of the internet could be used as a source of knowledge. Therefore the young engage in their search missions on the sly in their peer-groups without proper guidance. No wonder they end up in unwanted stuff like phonography. They are easily lured to rubbish sites which ultimately ruin them. The young needs to be pitied here because they are not matured enough to separate the wheat from the chaff. Their every experience with regard to internet is 'self-guided'.
It is this fear that caused the elders to shrug away from the internet. College principals and teachers are the architects of this fear-psychosis. Parents are constantly advised at parents meeting to keep their children away from this evil. The few teachers who usually thought out of the box were scoffed at and criticized.
In such an awkward environment forcing the teachers to take up the smart phone , computer , tab or laptop and contact the child online for teaching was really absurd. The pandemic bomb exploded within a short period. The education sector in the country was totally in a dilemma. They did not have any plans or experience up in their sleeves as how they could tackle the novel situation.
The reluctance of the majority older community to adapt themselves to the changing technological developments was the main cause. Their stubborn attitudes made the young student-population another victim of the pandemic.
Development of education means not hanging onto age old attitudes and traditions. This never means ruining the identity of a nation or a particular community. While preserving the good old traditions, we must try to make the best out of any deemed evil force. For this one needs sacrifice , dedication , innovativeness and good planning through constant dialogue.
The authorities must at least now study this issue without wasting time. It seems online teaching-learning process is still going on in the country without proper supervision or guidance. It can be compared to a fast growing tree in the backyard without proper attention. The tree could either fall on to the house demolishing it completely in a storm or needs to be cut down after much effort. Better late than never.
*Facilities for online teaching-learning must be created.
*Online teaching methodology must be made a compulsory subject for teachers.
*Students must be coached on the use of the internet for the benefit of good living.
*Infrastructure facilities must be improved to provide equal opportunities to all in the country.
Sajendra Kumara
A trained teacher of English
Sri Lanka
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