Gombe Schools start universal program

With President Museveni latest comment that schools are unlikely to open until a vaccine for Covid-19 is got, Gombe Educations Services (GES) has improvised by starting a universal online learning platform for all learners in Uganda.

The program, which will use the Zoom software, targets all learners from nursery to secondary school and its initiators argue that it will provide a proper classroom environment where the instructor will be able to get real time feedback from the leaners.
Since March this year, at least 15 million learners have been holed up at homes as one of government’s measures to prevent the spread of the global pandemic that is COvid-19.

During this time, the government has endevoured to provide revision materials to learners through newspapers and TV/radio programs but many that cannot access these materials have been left out, thus necessitating the government recent initiative to distribute TV and radio sets across the country.

This notwithstanding, the measures have been very passive and hard to regulate by both parents and government. 
It is the reason that GES has introduced an interactive module for not only their learners, but for all from schools across the country starting July 1, 2020. Here, all learners will get a chance to meet their colleagues (through video), ask questions in class and get real time answers from teachers.

According to Mr Yeeko Nkono, the coordinator of this program at GES, the initiative is aimed at creating a sense of community during this Covid-9 crisis. Leraners have spent over three months at home and academic rustiness is inevitable.

“You will realize that we have charged very little money for this project (Shs 120,000 per month) because we know that parents are not doing well financially. This little monthly fee is to ensure that we hire the best teachers from other schools to provide the best to our learners,” Yeeko said of the program that starts on July 1, 2020.

“This is a national program that does not discriminate against anyone. We have outsourced some of the best schools on top of our own. Let’s join as a community of educators and prevent our children from lagging behind,” he added.
So, a parent just needs a laptop, a tablet, smartphone or desktop with webcam on top of constant data. Yeeko said parents can call 0708 800002/6 to enroll.

PARENTS HAPPY
The initiative has been roundly welcomed by parents who say that it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep children engaged at home.
“My three children have always been in boarding school but now I have had to literally police them to keep revising books. I can assure you it is a hell of a job,” said one Parent called Jane Namubiru from Busaabala.“So, when I heard of this online teaching by Gombe, I liked it because it is cheaper than what other schools are charging and the video part gives a chance for the children to interact with their friend in a class environment,” she added. 
In the same vein, Martha Labeja from Mukono noted that “this is long overdue because online teaching will soon become the new normal”.