When Mdm Nor learnt that schools would go into full home-based learning on Wednesday (8 April), she thought it would be “so impossible” for her and three kids.
There was only one laptop at home, which belongs to her 17-year-old daughter. It is “very laggy” and “hanged” all the time due to heavy usage for school. Mdm Nor recalled how difficult it was for her other two kids, who are in Primary 1 and 4, to cope with just one laptop when home-based learning was first introduced on 1 April.
There was a lot of online material to get through and she had to do it one subject at a time, one kid at a time.
“They also have videos to watch and videos take a longer time to load and to discuss,” the 48-year-old said. “They had to waste time waiting. In the end not only did the kids give up, I also gave up.”
Her youngest child only managed to complete one subject that day and she could tell her children were “demoralised”.
On 3 April, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced a move to full home-based learning for schools amid concerns over escalating COVID-19 infections in Singapore, which will last a month.
Mdm Nor was initially daunted by the idea, but not since the family received two donated laptops from ReadAble, a volunteer group that runs weekly reading classes for children living in the Chin Swee area.
RUSH TO DELIVER LAPTOPS
To date, ReadAble has received 17 laptop requests and the team sourced for donations from its own networks of friends.
“In the run-up to the circuit breaker, we collected laptops from friends and a company who gave refurbished laptops, to prepare the kids we teach in time for home-based learning,” said Ms Samantha Kwan, core team member of ReadAble
Additionally, ReadAble also installed security software onto the laptops and taught the kids cyber wellness and Internet safety.
Similarly, another group SG Bono posted a Facebook post on 30 March, calling out for “low-income families who cannot afford to buy a computer or tablet for their school-going children”.
Within a week, SG Bono had received an “overwhelming” 1,200 requests from families islandwide, said vice-president Lim Keng Hong.
The volunteer group was started two years ago by IT engineers and experts. They have been providing IT servicing and laptops free of charge to disadvantaged families.
Given the response, SG Bono is still reaching out to donors and corporate sponsors as they have managed to secure only 200 laptops.
Before the laptops get into the hands of families in need by Wednesday (8 April), the team will repair them as they come in “various conditions”.
Engineering Good, a non-profit organisation, received about 83 requests and started collecting laptops a week ago. Its volunteers have been working tirelessly to refurbish donated devices and installing Microsoft Office on them.
“Sometimes the power adaptor doesn’t work or exist, sometimes the screen is cracked or the camera doesn’t work – all that goes to pile,” said Johann Annuar, executive director of Engineering Good. Out of 146 laptops donated, 52 have been refurbished and ready to be donated to beneficiaries from South Central Community Family Service Centre and Salvation Army.
“Whatever happens, education is still important,” he added. “People with little resources are impacted the most in times like this so we need to support them.”
WHY THE DEMAND DESPITE HELP IN PLACE
The Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) NEU PC Plus programme also offers subsidised computers and free broadband to low-income families.
Now that her children have a laptop each, Mdm Nor expresses more confidence in supervising her children on home-based learning. ReadAble has also provided the family with a WiFi dongle, which means loading videos and content will no more be a long wait.
“This is much more convenient for us, it really makes a lot of difference,” said Mdm Mor. “The kids are very excited to start.”
Read more here.
Source: Channel NewsAsia, 8 April 2020