The ilearnGambia is an online distance learning platform that seeks to digitalise the school curriculum to ensure access to equitable and quality education for all in the country.
The Communication Unit of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) created and developed it to give students the opportunity to learn anywhere at any time.
At the launching, the minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Claudiana Cole, revealed that ilearnGambia platform is one of the flagship initiatives undertaken by her ministry in response to digital education action plan as enshrined in the education sector policy 2016-2030
She said in response to the policy, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is committed to providing equitable, inclusive and quality education to all students in The Gambia, both in times of stability and in emergency situations like the Covid-19 pandemic that has greatly impacted the global education system including The Gambia.
She added that The Gambia had joined the list of countries that ordered the total closure of all schools and other learning institutions in the country in a bid to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, and keep the students safe.
Therefore, she said in swift response to the situation, her ministry instituted an education emergency response team comprising diverse education stakeholders to find solutions and ensure that the children's right to learn was not disrupted by the closure of schools as government’s measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
According to her, ilearnGambia is a digital platform that provides a safe, accessible and centrally monitored system for teachers and administrators to uphold and host instructional materials including tailor made video lessons customised across grades and subjects to support distance learning for students.
For her part, the principal education officer at MoBSE, Kaddy Bah, said in Science and Technology Education, they are vigorously making efforts to strengthen the integration of ICT in teaching and learning for the education policy 2016-2030.
According to her, the directorate has designed and implemented numerous interventions geared towards the promotion and improvement of the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and English Language.
“Before the government decided to close down schools as a measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the directorate was already at an advanced stage in the use of technology in teaching and learning,” she disclosed.
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