The Role of Teachers in Shaping Education: A New Radio Program in the Kingdom
The Ministry of Education in the Kingdom has announced plans for a special radio program focused on the critical role of both male and female teachers in education. This program is scheduled to be broadcast across all schools in the Kingdom.
Appreciating the Efforts of Teachers
The primary goal of the program is to shine a spotlight on the significant contributions teachers make in shaping the education system. The initiative recognizes the enormous efforts put in by educators in molding young minds and building a robust educational foundation for future generations. This appreciation aims to boost morale among educators and encourage them to continue their essential work with renewed vigor.
Insights from an Experienced Teacher
Gretchan Frederick, an Upper School Spanish Teacher at Charlotte Latin School, shared her experiences with the unique educational tools she has used in her classes. She expressed how she has employed Radio Ambulante, a Spanish-language podcast, in her Spanish IV Honors and AP Spanish classes. Her strategy of incorporating real-world connections through podcasts has made her lessons more interesting, relevant, and challenging for her students.
Education Amid the Pandemic
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact education, tools created through the Global Education Coalition’s Gender Flagship are having a considerable effect on girls’ education and gender equality worldwide. In Vietnam, UNESCO and the Government are developing teachers’ capacities on gender and communication via virtual workshops in schools participating in the project ‘We are ABLE: Achieving Better Living and Education.’ In Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and its Teaching Service Commission (TSC) launched an Education Emergency Task Force to revive the country’s education radio program for remote learning.
Challenges and Successes in Radio Education
Radio education has proven to be a scalable, cost-effective, and easily accessible solution. It has also been shown to improve learning outcomes. However, it is not without challenges. Limited broadcast airtime availability, access to radio devices in households, and measuring the program’s impact are among the hurdles faced. Despite these challenges, countries like Sierra Leone have been successful in scaling up resources during the pandemic, leveraging and adapting key lessons from their experience with previous crises such as the Ebola epidemic.