Continuation of remote learning sparks unease

AMMAN  — The government decision to continue with remote learning for school children have drawn ire from parents, teachers and students.

The National Campaign for the Rights of Students “Thabahtuna” warns that the continuation of distance learning in the second semester due to the epidemiological situation is “unacceptable”, taking into account “the loss for primary level students”, according to a statement on its Facebook page.

According to the statement, Thabahtuna is not in favour of the decision made by the Ministry of Education to suspend in-class education for the 10th and 11th grade students for a week.

The campaign considered that the decision reflected “a formal trend” towards continuing distance learning throughout the second semester, and it would appear that it would later include students in the primary level and Tawjihi (General Secondary Education Certificate Examination), who gradually returned to schools two weeks ago, according to the statement.

“I am constantly on my nerves, which is affecting my work,” Alia Rabie, a working mother of a third grader student, told The Jordan Times.

“I do not focus during my working hours, worrying about my son’s education. I keep calling my home to check if he is on his laptop or not,” she said.

She also highlighted that, it is hard for children to stay focused on a screen for hours, and that they need to interact with their teachers and classmates to fully receive a holistic education.

 Jana Qadri, an International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) junior student, told The Jordan Times that she feels “less motivated to study”.

“IGCSE is very advanced and really needs great effort from both teachers and students. However, it is a bit hard to get a proper education during distance learning,” Qadri said.

For Farah Jaber, a student at a public school, face-to-face learning “builds a generation of leaders unlike distance learning”.

“Distance learning has affected my communication skills. It has also paved the way for some students to cheat due to the stress the teachers give them,” she added.

Manar Al Qasqas, an English teacher at a private school, told The Jordan Times that “online teaching is a true obstacle for both teachers and students.”