By Agencies
Following the outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 virus in China, schools in Hong Kong and China have been closed for weeks over the fear of the spread of the virus. Parents aired their dissatisfaction with e-learning since the shut of schools.
Chen Yan who works at an office in the mainland city of Shaoguan stated that her 12-year-old son has been doing every other thing but studying. The 12-year-old son gets busy with other things has the live-streamed lesson plays underneath.
She also stated how slow the network made the e-learning almost impossible as the teacher’s words were inaudible. “And I’m sure the teacher won’t notice if my son is listening in a 60-student class.”Online Education in China has surpassed the usual physical tutoring as schools from the elementary to the University level are proposedly closed until March.
This came as a surprise for the CEO of the Shanghai-based iTutorGroup Eric Yang who only imagined this change to happen in the next 3 years. The outbreak and spread of this virus debuted the largest work from home experience. According to Citigroup analyst, a huge number of Chinese students are now enrolled in online classes.
Mark Li stated that there are currently two million enrolled Chinese students for online classes. Another 48-year-old parent Ivan Au stated the discomfort and stress from shouldering the responsibility of teaching her daughter since the close of school.
She now has to work as a full-time educator, prepare teaching materials and still be her playmate and other added responsibility. However, a live instruction from the teacher over a video conferencing was scheduled by the school to ease parents’ burden and ensure learning processes are not stopped for students as well.
However, this sudden adoption of online education in China is posed with a threat of instability. Parents have complained about the slow network and the internet suddenly cutting out. And it also takes more time to finish class materials since students are not physically available.
Hong Kong-based managing Director Yvette Chan feels the online Education might not stand the test of time for now. That it might easily ebb away after the COVID-19 virus must have been controlled and contained.
However, this is a digital age, all students are familiar with screens and computers. So online education which is now an additional screen time for them won’t take so much toll as it would do on parents that have to supervise them.
