After 3 years, distance education achieves a 60% academic rate

• The middle and secondary level study plan ends on May 2, concluding curriculum implementation and marking students’ final work day

• On Monday, April 1, the Ministry of Education shifts to online learning after rain disrupts in-person classes, evaluating its digital transformation plan with practical tests on April 7 and 8

With the implementation of the digital transformation plan published by Al-Rai newspaper in the Ministry of Education, along with an extensive training campaign for thousands of teachers and department heads on the “Teams” system for four virtual hours, currently being carried out from the Ministry’s Training and Development Center, technical sources at Al-Rai evaluated the “distance” e-learning system after three years of implementation, confirming that ‘the academic achievement rate in it is about 60 percent compared to in-person education.’

The sources indicated that “distance education is a supportive system rather than essential to the educational process. Nonetheless, it is preferable to having education come to a complete standstill, as occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis and adverse climatic conditions experienced by the country in recent years.”

Sources added, “The Ministry of Education is continually assessing the latest feedback from the educational sector regarding this system. However, scheduling virtual classes during the holy month of Ramadan and ensuring synchronization across the three educational stages, with only a 10 to 20-minute time difference, has put pressure on the program’s timetable. This has led to technical issues hindering the smooth continuation of virtual classes. In the past, classes for each educational stage commenced after the previous one ended, aiming to avoid such pressure on the system.”

Sources explained that “the study plan for middle and secondary levels will conclude on May 2 with the completion of curriculum implementation. Therefore, May 2 will mark the last actual day of work for students, after which tests outside the regular schedule will commence one week before the start of the end-of-year exams on May 15.”

They stressed that “schools will not repeat the lessons delivered during online classes if in-person education resumes due to time constraints. This is because the study plan is structured based on the number of classes scheduled for the second semester, and adherence to their dates is necessary.”

In terms of students’ commitment to virtual classes, the sources confirmed that “attendance is nearly complete in some schools and above average in others.

However, the level of interaction and participation in e-learning is lower compared to in-person education.” They added that “success in this system necessitates desire, awareness, and focus. While we do not claim it to be perfect, it is operating at its optimal level.”

Virtual classes in Ramadan

After the in-person education system switched to distance learning on Sunday due to the rain, the Ministry of Education decided in its digital transformation plan to transition the education system to an “online” system on Monday, April 1, as an experiment to evaluate the plan. This transition will be implemented in practice on Sunday and Monday, April 7 and 8, along with the shift to virtual classes.

On Sunday morning, the Ministry of Education announced that studies would be conducted remotely using the “Teams” program in all public, private, and specialized education schools in the country, aligning with the working hours of both learners and administrative bodies.

The ministry’s official spokesman, Ahmed Al-Wahida, stated that the decision was made based on reports from the Meteorological Department regarding unstable weather conditions. The decision was taken out of concern for the safety of the students.