RIYADH: About 6 million Saudi schoolchildren took advantage of the Madrasati remote learning platform during the 2020-21 school year as the Kingdom battled the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a World Bank report.
The study was based on a nationally representative sample of almost 18,000 students, teachers, school principals, supervisors and parents, and included virtual classroom observations as the health crisis unfolded over the period.
More than two-thirds of teachers said their students’ academic achievements and skills increased as a result of using the Madrasati (My School) platform, adding that there was a high demand for more digital learning content.
The 6 million figure represents about 98 percent of all schoolchildren in the Kingdom.
Issam Abousleiman, regional director for the GCC at World Bank, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to the development of human capital in º£½ÇÖ±²¥, as it did in countries across the world. The story of º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s journey to rapid and widespread digital and distance education is one that many countries are interested to learn from.â€
Keiko Miwa, director of human development at World Bank, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for all education systems.â€
º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s experience illustrates the importance of supporting teachers to excel in their roles by providing them with useful tools, training and guidance.â€
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