Is Attendance An Issue?
“Overall, all of my students have attended each digital class and they are actively participating in the digital classes. I have established a culture of respect and built strong relationships with my students prior to the shutdown. So, I believe this contributed to the enthusiasm displayed by the students to stay connected,” Kassim Zaid said.
It is highly recommended to keep the day and timings for the digital class the same as it was prior to the shutdown. Mature students can manage their schedules on their own and independently access their classes, which would contribute to the likelihood of them being able to attend regular classes.
Attendance amongst younger students are highly reliant on the availability of their parents and their ability to sit through a digital lesson.
Learning Barriers
Although Kassim Zaid reported 100% attendance amongst his students, this hasn’t been the case amongst other Sunday schools around the country.
Qur’an schools that serve students from economically disadvantaged communities face barriers in their ability to host and maintain digital classes.
The lack of resources, access to the internet, and tools are one of the biggest issues facing economically disadvantaged communities. Families with multiple children who may normally attend Sunday school classes, may be unable to attend digital class if computers are limited in their households.
Sunday school teachers with a limited background in technology and digital platforms may struggle with using the online tools successfully.
“I am an older teacher and I don’t use technology regularly. It has been very difficult navigating Zoom and the other platforms,” Aisha Alawai told AboutIslam.net.
Challenges to Digital Schools
Ultimately, teachers, parents, and children are equally committed to continue their Islamic education during quarantine.
Despite the obvious commitment to continue the study of Islamic knowledge through digital learning, there are clear implications of the challenge posed to some children based on age and economic status. These limitations must be evaluated and addressed by the wider community to uphold equity in Islamic education.
We applaud institutions, such as Al Bayan Learning Center and teachers, such as Kassim Zaid, for their commitment towards empowering Muslim children to remain dedicated to their studies and their relationship with Allah swt.
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