By Mariama Njie
Dozens of students have expressed their dissatisfactions about having their lessons through radio and television stations. This they said is not helpful and not benefiting.
Ministry of Basic Secondary Education (MoBSE) last month launched a 21-day homeschooling project whereby students of lower grades can receive studies through radio and television stations in an attempt to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
The Ministry’s decision came days after President Barrow first proclamation whereby a ban on public gatherings and close of schools and Universities came in to being in a move to fight against the killer virus.
Fatoumatta Konteh, a Commerce Student at Nustrat Senior Secondary School, said: “The Ministry of Education is saying those lessons will benefit students, it is not really benefiting the Commerce students.”
According to her, majority students are not benefitting from the lessons because only English and mathematics are lectured.
“If the Ministry is giving prior to the science students and not arts and commerce, then there is discrimination,” she said.
She however urged the government to revamp the project and include all subjects “because arts and commercial subjects are left out which is affecting our syllabus.”
Abubacarr Barry, art student at Nustrat explained that they all aware that things are not easy and right at the moment especially with the government because all eyes on them. “But once they had spent money on that project, we think it’s our right that equality be observed.”
He added that there is always discrimination against arts and commercial students as science students are always favour over them even at the school levels and scholarships, too.
He called on government and its ministry to look into the issues again and slot in some of their key subjects like, government and literature, for commerce students financial accounting and economic.
Another student, Aji Detou Juwara, said she was heartbroken when she heard that they will be taken 21 days break from school because she is a grade 12 student who is expecting to write her final examination this year.
She too expressed her sadness as all the radio and television lessons are based on science subjects despite the huge investment government announced for the project.
Aisha Jawara, Arabic student at Masjid Bilal, said: “ since the closure of school she was expecting that the government will include Arabic lessons as well but unfortunately they did not.”
