Just over 50% of elementary school students say they are bored with the learning at home program initiated as a result of Covid-19 school closures.

A survey by the National Commission for the Continued Betterment of Education (Mejoredu), a federal agency, was administered in June to 194,00 elementary students, their parents and teachers. In total, 51.4% of respondents told the commission that students are finding distance education boring.

Depending on where in Mexico they live, k-12 students nationwide have been receiving lessons online, on public television, via radio or through some combination of the three formats since March. Some teachers have resorted to using phone-based social media platforms like WhatsApp to teach when students do not have access to the internet.

The survey also reported more serious issues with the distance education format in Mexico.

• 69.8% of respondents said students could not count on other family members for assistance with their lessons.
• 52.8% reported that the lessons being taught required supplemental materials that the students did not possess.
• 26.8% of teachers surveyed said the lessons and materials they were using were in a different language than their students speak.
• 20% said that students have not had any school textbooks since the Learn at Home program began.

Overall, said the commission, 46.3% of respondents also told them that in their opinion the Education Ministry’s Learn at Home curriculum was not adequate to allow students to continue advancing educationally.

Source: Reforma (sp)