LUSAKA, June 13 (Xinhua) -- One of the negative effects brought by the COVID-19 is the disruption of the education system.

Many countries, including Zambia, had to shut schools as one of the measures to contain the pandemic, a move that saw hundreds of children staying at home.

However, the introduction of e-learning platforms especially for primary pupils is bridging the gap in the provision of education.

The Zambian government has not been left out in ensuring e-learning reaches to all parts of the country.

In April this year, the government, in collaboration with the state-run telecommunication firm Zamtel and the Examination Council of Zambia, launched a national e-learning portal and smart revision platform aimed at allowing learners to continue with their learning.

The launch of the e-learning platform and the smart revision portals is also meant to provide alternative and supplementary learning resources for learners and is also meant to bridge the gap in view of the COVID-19.

Minister of Education David Mabumba said the e-learning portal will provide a digital platform where pupils, teachers, education providers will be able to access e-content such as e-books and other teaching materials.

The launch of the e-learning platform came at the backdrop of the launch of the education channel which is currently being broadcast by state broadcaster television, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation while plans to launch a radio education channel are in the offing.

However, the private sector has not been left out in the provision of e-learning platforms as part of efforts to enhance the country's education system.

Mining giant First Quantum Minerals has since launched the School-on-Radio initiative, a radio schooling program aimed at bridging the education gap among primary school children.

The mining firm is implementing the initiative in collaboration with the district education board in northwestern Zambia's Solwezi where it is domiciled under its Kansanshi Foundation.

The mining firm said in a statement that the initiative is focusing on pupils in lower grades who are mainly sidelined.

"The Kansanshi mining response, which will be jointly run with the Solwezi district education board through Solwezi Radio, is meant to close this gap for primary schools in the north-western province," Onward Mandebvu, Head of Education at Kansanshi Foundation said in the statement.

He added that the program will have dual value for the learners as it will occupy school children who could otherwise expose themselves to the COVID-19 risk and will also provide them with high-quality education.

Indeed high-quality education is necessary for the learners especially in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic and e-learning has a crucial role to play. Enditem

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