Brenda Brewer-Moore, the founder of the Kids Educational Engagement Project (KEEP) began her local initiative of prepping children for their return to school during a tumultuous crisis – Ebola.
She began tutoring her children at home during the Ebola lockdown of schools. She gave them daily school work and graded it however she thought to extend her practice to her neighbors’ children and with time to many communities in and around Monrovia. She and her team of volunteers performed this selfless feat while wearing some basic forms of PPE.
Brenda’s goal was to keep the students practically involved with academic work so as to enhance their skillset at the reopening of schools. In order words she wanted them “to hit the ground running” when schools resumed.
Unlike the Ebola crisis of 2014, COVID-19 is global with school age children staying at home everywhere. However, school systems in some countries with available internet connectivity capabilities are continuing to execute their curriculums via online learning. Interestingly too, some teachers are calling their students to read to them and have them read back from assigned books.
I am cognizant that neither of the interventions mentioned above may work in Liberia especially due to the socio-economic challenges. However, I have stated it here in order to showcase what a community CAN CHOOSE to do with available resources. Brenda’s resources were willingness and love for education. I am undoubtedly convinced that teachers in Liberia have similar resources and it is upon this premise I invite government and the private sector to come in and play their parts.
What can the government and private sector do to help teachers help their students academically succeed during the period of COVID-19 lockdown?
The government is already being proactive from a public health standpoint in her bid to flatten the curve of COVID-19 by issuing orders with the intent for public safety. The government has also set up a COVID-19 national response team.
Government can also designate teachers as essential personnel during this period in order to enable them move around freely to perform their duties of taking coursework to the homes of students and help provide them with logistics such as stationeries and cellphone recharging privileges. Some of this can be achieved when government liaise with corporations in the private sectors such GSM companies and stationery suppliers. Additionally, government can network with other development partners like UNDP, UNESCO and WHO to help provide stipends, educational logistics, and PPE for teachers.
I believe we are all certain this virus crisis shall come to pass, but we are also uncertain of its duration; that is why students preparedness cannot be emphasized enough! If a small group of volunteers from what is now KEEP could make an immense impact with minimum resources, I am optimistic the GOL and her partners can make a significant impact to prepare the students of Liberia for the resumption of classes, whenever that might be.
In the words of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, I believe GOL and her partners still have time not to allow this COVID-19 “crisis to go to waste” for students and their teachers.