23% of students are out of online classes because they don't have Internet computers at home

The preliminary results of a survey carried out by the Education Economics Center of Universidade Nova de Lisboa reveal that at least 23% of Portuguese students do not have access to a computer with Internet at home. There is a difference between the results obtained and the official data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) which indicate that only 5.5% of students up to the age of 15 do not have access to a PC connected to the Internet.

The researchers clarify that the discrepancies found may be justified by the fact that INE's November 2019 information only indicates the existence of an Internet computer in each student's household. There may be situations in which the family computer is already being used by parents for teleworking reasons or when there are multiple students in a household and only one PC.

Students who do not have access to a computer with Internet credits: Education Economics Center of Universidade Nova de Lisboa

To the Observer, researcher Ana Balco Reis stressed that there are significant differences between public and private schools, with the lack of access to computers with Internet at home being more noticeable in the first case. But, for now, the team behind the study indicates that it is still necessary to deepen the investigation in order to have a total notion of disparities across the country.

The survey carried out with primary and secondary school teachers, public and private schools reveals what kind of distance learning solutions have been adopted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results reveal that only one third of the teachers take classes by videoconference with the students. The vast majority of teachers have chosen to send complementary materials, such as study sheets, to students.

Distance learning strategies used by teachers credits: Education Economics Center of Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Distance learning resources made available by the Directorate-General for Education are only used by around 23% of teachers. Although the vast majority of teachers indicate that they use homework to assess students, the study reveals that 19% of teachers say they are not collecting elements of assessment.

It should be remembered that, in the lines of the strategy defined for the classes of the third period, a "universal access" was promised that would allow to overcome barriers and differences in access to equipment between the various levels of education and in families. However, the Minister of Education points out that there are no immediate solutions and that, despite the constraints, a gradual adaptation is being made.

The defined strategy is to combine the teaching means available, with classes through TV with the use of online platforms. The Ministry has been preparing a series of documentation that will reach schools, in order to allow teachers to prepare classes and follow the subjects that will be taught through television.