In the wake of a global pandemic, many lines of work have been forced into adapting to new ways of operating in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19. These includes calls for use of contactless technology, as seen in the likes of the implementation of e-learning in schools not only in Malaysia, but across the world.
However, the enforcement of e-learning has revealed an inherent flaw to the education system, with many schoolchildren inevitably falling through the gaps with their lack of access to key infrastructure. So how does one go about addressing these problems? Well for one teacher in Mexico, she took it upon herself to drive out to the homes of her students daily for the sake of making sure that they didn’t fall behind their classes.
In Mexico, school was cancelled because of the pandemic.
This teacher turned her pickup truck into a portable classroom.
She drives two hours a day to teach children with autism who don't have books or access to the internet.
pic.twitter.com/hscu8zI85Z— Akki (@akkitwts) August 6, 2020
Schoolteacher Nay Esp, who works in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes, has gained viral fame across social media after a single photo of her emerged online showing the lengths she went for the sake of teaching her students. Owning a pickup truck, Nay would drive out to the homes of her students, who are children with special needs and were unable to access key e-learning facilities, to teach them.
Setting up a makeshift ‘classroom’ in the rear of her pickup truck, complete with a small table and two chairs, she would then teach them their lessons to ensure that they could still catch up with their syllabus.
Often driving as far as 2-hours away from her own place of residence to teach her students, a single photo of Nay that was circulated online eventually gained viral attention, reaching even to the likes of Hollywood celebrities such as Kim Kardashian.
Spurred by her newfound fame online, Nay has since set up a crowdfunding initiative to help bolster the education system in her home state. Explaining that given the current state of lockdown in her country, many students will still be dependent on lackluster e-learning facilities to continue their education.
“I am not the only schoolteacher doing this. There are many other teachers who are doing the impossible so that all students have access to education.” she says.
With the ultimate objective of supporting children with special needs such as those that she is teaching, Nay hopes that the funds obtained from her crowfunding initiative would allow for teachers like herself to purchase the necessary tools to help these children to learn, such as tablets, books and essential stationery.
If you wish to contribute to Nay’s initiative, you may do so through the GoFundMe link here. We hope that Nay’s continued dedication to her job will spur change in Mexico to help address these critical issues being faced by their students in the present.
Also read: 13yo M’sian Girl Squats Under Hot Sun To Get Better Internet Connection For E-Learning
