L-edukazzjoni onlajn ikkonfermat qasma diġitali fost l-istudenti

Filwaqt li ndirizza l-futur tal-edukazzjoni Ewropea fil-kuntest tal-pandemija Covid-19, Alfred Sant qal lis-sessjoni plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew li l-pandemija kkawżat tfixkil fis-sistema edukattiva u esponiet ġenerazzjoni sħiħa ta’ żgħażagħ għal nuqqas kbir ta’ kontinwita fl-esperjenza ta’ tagħlim tagħhom.

F’nofs April 2020, xejn inqas minn 188 pajjiż madwar id-dinja kienu għalqu l-iskejjel mal-pajjiż kollu, u kienu affettwati madwar 1.5 biljun student li jirrappreżentaw 91 fil-mija tal-istudenti rreġistrati fl-iskejjel.

Alfred Sant qal li t-transizzjoni diġitali li għaddejja fl-edukazzjoni ġiet aċċellerata aktar minn kemm l-infrastruttura eżistenti kienet lesta. Ir-rapporti jenfasizzaw li l-bidla mgħaġġla wisq għal proċessi edukattivi diġitali seħħet f’kuntest fejn 43 fil-mija tal-Ewropej għad m’għandhomx ħiliet diġitali bażiċi. Id-distakk fl-edukazzjoni diġitali kabbret l-inugwaljanzi eżistenti.

“Hemm opportunità biex naħsbu mill-ġdid il-futur tal-edukazzjoni iżda dan irid isir mal-prijorità li tiġi indirizzata l-lakuna fl-edukazzjoni diġitali. Id-deċiżjoni tal-Kunsill Ewropew li jnaqqas il-programmi ewlenin tal-edukazzjoni fil-baġit tal-UE li jmiss tnaqqas kemm l-opportunità kif ukoll il-prijorità “, qal Alfred Sant.

Alfred Sant saħaq li l-isforzi għandhom jikkonċentraw fuq li jiżguraw li t-tagħlim fl-iskejjel jista’ jkompli f’ambjent ħieles mill-COVID-19, f’bilanċ mat-tagħlim onlajn li għaddej, skond l-aħħar linji gwida.

 Online education has confirmed a digital divide among students

Addressing the issue of the future of European education in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, Alfred Sant told the plenary session of the European Parliament that the pandemic has caused a disruption in education systems, exposing an entire generation of young people to huge discontinuities in their learning experience.

In mid-April 2020, no fewer than 188 countries around the world had closed schools nationwide, affecting some 1.5 billion learners representing 91 per cent of learners enrolled in schools.

Alfred Sant said the on-going digital transition in education was accelerated more than existing infrastructures were ready for. Reports stress that the too rapid switch to digital educational processes occurred in a context where 43 per cent of Europeans still lacked basic digital skills. The digital education gap has exacerbated existing inequalities.

“There is an opportunity to rethink the future of education but it has to be coupled to the priority of addressing the digital education gap. The European Council’s decision to slash flagship education programmes in the next long-term EU budget undercuts both opportunity and priority”, stated Alfred Sant.

Alfred Sant stressed that efforts should concentrate on ensuring that in-person learning can resume in a COVID-19-secure environment, in balance with on-going online instruction, according to the latest best practice guidelines.