This archive report was first published on 23 April 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across Africa, schools and universities have been forced to close, leaving millions of students without access to education. However, in a bid to mitigate the impact of the lockdowns, private channels and institutions are launching distance education programs to keep students learning.
One such initiative is the 'Home School' program launched by private channels in several African countries. The program aims to provide students with access to quality education through television broadcasts. In Senegal, for example, Futurs Medias, owned by the singer Youssou Ndour, gives lessons three times a day to all classes, including vocational education.
However, despite the optimism, distance learning faces several challenges, including poor internet coverage in many rural areas and the cost of accessing online courses. Many students lack the technical means and funds to follow the courses, and UNESCO has warned of a 'worrying digital gap in distance learning'.
Television, therefore, is far from a miracle cure. The lack of interactivity between teachers and students is a big minus, and many parents believe that the courses would be more valuable if they were coordinated with the school program and allowed for teacher-student interaction as is possible with internet teaching.
Despite these challenges, some students are making the most of the current arrangements. In Burkina Faso, high school student Khalil Nonguierma is delighted with being able to 'keep in touch with the school' but is worried about the 'lack of interactivity with the teacher who just does a lecture or corrects homework.'
