SMS forms a crucial part of online learning

According to UNESCO, over 1.6 billion children were out of school at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, with close to half the world’s students still affected by partial or full school closures. While the effects of the pandemic have been devastating, it has been fascinating to see just how quickly the education system was able to adapt and meet the needs of learners. Learning is no longer only taking place in a classroom setting, but is now happening virtually, too!

Often used alongside other channels, such as email, social media and virtual learning platforms, SMS remains one of the best ways to keep learners, parents, and teachers engaged and in touch.

Below we outline how SMS is making sure no learner falls behind:

SMS for lockdown information

Over the last 2 years, many schools were forced to shut down with little or no lead time. SMS connected parents, teachers and learners, informing them of the shutdown times and dates. And now, as schools across the globe are still dealing with the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, SMS continues to keep everyone informed of any changes to the schedule. SMS allows for reliable and quick delivery of time-sensitive information to thousands of contacts at once, it’s the perfect communication tool in the time of a crisis.

SMS for time and date allocation

Many schools have chosen to re-open their doors and provide a safe environment by having less learners in classrooms at a time. To do this, learners have been allocated dates and times when they are allowed at school, and when they will be learning online. As you can imagine, organisation and communication have been key in making sure the right learners attend school at the right time. With SMS, teachers can add attachments, including schedules, to their texts.

SMS for health and safety information

Even beyond the classroom, SMS has provided a way for health and safety information to be sent to thousands of people at once. In the school setting, SMS is being used to inform staff, students and parents of the latest Covid-19 safety protocols, vaccines drives, and so much more.

SMS for distance learning

SMS is being used as part of distance learning strategies too. For example, in some low-income communities, where internet access is limited, learning materials are sent to pupils via SMS to keep them up to date with the curriculum.

The communication needs within the education sector are diverse and with the added pandemic pressures, SMS is proving to be more useful than ever before.

At BulkSMS we offer discounted rates for schools in both South Africa and the United Kingdom.