By Sue-Ann Wayow
THERE has been an increase in children accessing the online learning system from the Ministry of Education this school term due to the increase in accessibility of electronic devices.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Education hosted a press conference to update the public on the planned physical re-opening of school for Forms Four, Five and Six.
In giving statistics for both primary and secondary schools, Director of School Supervision Naima Hosein said the daily average attendance also increased.
For last academic year in the primary schools, 79.91% were on the online system with a daily attendance average of 84.95%.
Those who were on the pre-packaged system (pupils without devices) consisted of 20% with a daily attendance average of 72.21%.
This term, 94.60% of primary school children accessed the online learning system and Hosein reported an 87.10% in the average daily attendance.
She stated that 5.38% were presently on the prepackaged system with an average of 70.12% daily attendance to date.
Hosein said, “For this term, as compared to the last academic year, we have seen an increase of 14.71% of students who are now on the synchronous or the online system. And of course that increase in incidents attendance online would be attributed to the number of devices that have been distributed to students.”
For the secondary schools, last year saw 94.76% of pupils learning via online with a 70.59% daily attendance rate.
She said 5.2% of the pupils were on the pre-packaged role and had an average daily attendance of 28.94%.
This term, Hosein reported that 96.55% now had access to online learning with an 80.49% daily attendance rate.
Of those on the pre-packaged role, 3.4% accessed that system with 27.45% average daily attendance rate.
Therefore there was a 1.79% increase in online learning in the secondary school population she stated.
And with statistics on daily teacher attendance , Hosein said at the primary level, the ministry reported a 94.30% average and for this term up until September 17, 97.21% of teachers attended to their duties daily.
At the secondary level, 94.30% daily average teacher attendance was reported with 96.87% for this term being reported up until September 17.
