FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – Since Ebola ravaged Sierra Leone’s population, school closings have led to approximately one million school-aged children without classrooms since July 2014.
School closings due to Ebola, however, have not deterred young students’ learning.
Educational radio has replaced traditional schooling. All ages of Sierra Leonean students sit by the radio to have their daily lessons.
In October 2014, a few months after the school closings, the Sierra Leonean government launched a radio education program for children.
Teachers write daily lessons and broadcast sessions on 41 government stations, to continue learning throughout the Ebola crisis.
This intervention demonstrates how important education is to Africans, even those who are subject to harsh conditions.
Education remains a vital part of children’s daily lives, even amid a massive Ebola outbreak has killed close to 10,000 in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, and is still widespread, though slowing rapidly, in those countries.
On average, about 50 percent of children listen to the education radio, though at its peak, more than 70 percent of students tuned in.
Despite progress made towards rebuilding its educations system after a decade-long civil war, Sierra Leone now faces new mounting challenges with Ebola threatening to halt that progress and force a different route to education for its youth.
The radio lessons mark an innovative strategy for education in a brief moment of caution towards traditional education that might spread disease between Ebola-infected residents.
There is no indication that the radio program would stop when schools do reopen.
The idea is a remarkable one that has potential to reach students in the farthest villages who may not be able to access classrooms. Sierra Leone might have inadvertently struck gold through this idea to broadcast educational lessons via radio.
Only 25 percent of Sierra Leoneans own radios, though around 70 to 90 percent of the population tunes into radio shows daily.
Government programs, as well as private donations from African business people and individuals, to purchase and distribute radios could increase the number of Sierra Leoneans who can tune into radio from their home environment.
The government is also exploring ways to make the radio learning interactive, such as having students and teachers submit questions and discussions via text message.
Some have created informal classroom sessions where mentors meet up with school-aged children to discuss the daily lessons and converse about the short- and long-term effects of Ebola on the West African region.
This includes personal stories that children share about their own families’ encounters with the tragic disease.
Out of necessity comes innovation. Educational radio lessons are one way for Africans to remodel the delivery and scope of their educational curriculum for a modern world.
From an Ebola outbreak to innovation – this is certainly something a lot of African countries can adopt in educating children in rural areas.
The is wonderful news and I commend the Sierra Leoneans for waking up to the challenges. This is an innovative solution for any country but the fact that this came out amidst an ebola outbreak speaks to the will and hope of all Sierra Leoneans.
Great stuff being done in West Africa. I commend the people on the ground – some really ingenious stuff.
Moving on up to educating our peoples. This is innovative, yes! I am sure other African countries would follow in toe. This will help a lot of countries that are struggling to bring education to so many people who cannot afford it.
While Sierra Leone innovates… people in Liberia are still asking for US help and having trouble.