The COVID-19 health crisis, which has quarantined communities across the globe, has popularised online schooling. Therefore, the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) in Bangui is equipping the youth in their community with digital tools, through the Kabataan Learning Centre (KLC).
In partnership with the local government of Bangui and the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation, KLC will provide free internet access, printing services, and use of computers, which are the top priorities of students for their online classes.
Moreover, students can utilise the nine units of desktop computers, 50 Mbps internet connection, and five printers that the learning centre is offering.
The SK Federation President in Bangui, Justine Philip Meneses, shared that each of their 14 barangays have used their 2019 SK fund to provide for additional financial support to augment the financial contributions of their LGU to their Municipal Youth Development Plan (MYDP) for the provision of equipment and facilities needed for the establishment of the KLC.
A private organisation has also reached out to donate three printers and pledged their continuous support to the programmes of the SK in their municipality.
The youth chairperson has also shared that they have already accommodated more than 50 students since the centre’s opening on 11 May, with minimum health standards observed.
Apart from the learning access, the SK in Bangui has also distributed three waves of relief goods for 650 households in the municipality and snacks for the frontline responders in the barangay, police officials, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel, and others.
A community-based skills training project is also being planned for the youth in the municipality.
The SK Federation President noted that it might be launching a Community-Based Skills Training programme. This is a livelihood programme to provide free skills training and a starter kit to the Kabataan of its barangay for them to cope up with the effects of the lockdown caused by COVID-19.
Further, he explained that SK San Lorenzo is ready to re-align programmes, projects, and activities set for 2020 in order to address the needs of the Kabataan in the barangay in response to COVID-19.
When asked about his message for the youth in this time of crisis, he urged the support of the young individuals in the efforts of the government to curb further spread of the coronavirus disease in the country.
E-learning platforms are taking off in other parts of the country. The Makati City-based college, the Information and Communications Technology Academy (iAcademy) has ramped up its efforts to implement flexible remote learning for its students.
Flexible learning is a multi-faceted approach to learning where students are given options on how, what, when, and where they learn. It is the overarching approach behind the other methods of delivering instruction.
As OpenGov reported, iAcademy has been implementing technology-enabled learning by utilising various online platforms and tools like NEO and Google Classroom to deliver lessons.
iAcademy has decided to roll out its new approach called Guided Online Autonomous Learning (GOAL).
The programme will be learner-centred and faculty-directed. It is anchored on a holistic and adaptive approach to teaching and learning.
It factors in the learning capacity of the students and provides learning activities that are engaging, relevant, and outcome-based.
