LETTER | Whilst we focus on the present casualties and problems associated with the ongoing pandemic, there is a realisation that the long term effects for the world’s youth will be more dire. 

Education, at every age group, has been a cornerstone of society from ancient Egypt and the Han Dynasty through to the modern day education systems governed by politics. It remains, along with culture, the pillar of our society. Now the Covid-19 pandemic has successfully disrupted the sector and made us think about how our children are being educated.

Even before Covid-19, education was undergoing a transformation from teaching to learning with technology and data helping reshape the roles and interactions between teachers, parents and children. Covid-19 has accelerated this trend. Students are now empowered to learn “on their own” within a flexible home environment where the technological medium has completely revolutionised the “teaching experience”.

Let me be clear, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the digitalisation of education is a movement that should not be curbed. The role of the educator needs to be reinvented in line with the use of technology and the realisation that children can, and will, learn anything through a few clicks of their phones. 

However, education, in the broader sense isn’t just about imparting knowledge. There are social, collaborative and extra-curricular aspects to it. The mere presence of peers in a physical setting provides levels of comfort, insight and awareness - all key products of education.

This is particularly relevant to younger kids. The brain development for children between zero and six years is particularly heightened. Education philosopher Maria Montessori described this as “the absorbent mind”. Now think about how the lack of sensory integration and social interactions have impacted children in the last six to nine months, as a result of Covid-19 prevention measures. 

Does this mean that either a) the entire learning curve for kids of these ages has been shifted, or worst, b) the same kids may have missed the optimal conditions for learning?

Safety first! I hear you say. There has been no real alternative to the digital education we have seen in recent months and population safety can, and should, be the overriding factor. However, we have reached a critical point in education, particularly for the under 10s. Governments and education bodies need to start preparing for the long term impact Covid-19 will have on today’s youth.

I personally feel that this is where alternative education approaches may come in handy with young children in the coming months. The educational model of Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia each have their own approach to preschool which, in times like this, may represent an alternative for parents struggling to engage and cultivate their children - a current problem in Asia.

I’ve seen it successfully done in Hong Kong (Mulberry House International Kindergarten), Korea (Cheonggye Free Waldorf School) and Malaysia (Forest of Stars and Demi Quaver Learning Centre) as well as many other Asian institutions. Schools like this have found a perfect balance of driving intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence; navigating the emotional need for children to have a sense of self as well as understanding others’ desires. 

Essentially this boils down to empathy which, in an age of digitalisation, is often lost. Now if that is not education, then what is?

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.