Due to COVID-19, staff of Window Rock Unified School District gathered in a stadium to keep enough distance for an educational development meeting. Remote learning has been very hard in Navajo Nation.
Jennifer Nez Denetdale, Professor of American studies at the University of New Mexico, says the federal government has not done enough to help Navajo people to combat COVID-19.
WASHINGTON (PRWEB)
May 28, 2021
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CGTN America releases “Navajo Nation COVID-19 impact and its impact on education”.
COVID-19’s impact has been profound for Navajo Nation. So far, there are more than 30,000 confirmed cases and 1,300 fatalities.
The good news: the infection rate is dropping. The bad news: the curfew remains in effect, and parks on Navajo land remain closed.
With a population of more than 330,000 people, no Indian tribe in the U.S. is larger than the Navajo Nation. Its reservation spans three states – Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The According to the Indian Health Service, the 25,000 square-mile reservation (64,750 square kilometers) – an area the size of West Virginia – only has six hospitals and seven health centers.
Jennifer Nez Denetdale, Professor of American studies at the University of New Mexico, says the federal government has not done enough to help Navajo people to combat COVID-19.
The nation’s education system also has been impacted by COVID-19. In March 2020, Navajo authorities halted in-person learning. To maintain social distancing, the staff for the Window Rock Unified School District meet in a stadium.
Dr. Shannon Goodsell, Superintendent of Window Rock Unified School District said remote learning has been a challenge in the Navajo Nation. Many students cannot afford laptops, and Wi-Fi is not available in many homes.
For students who cannot get online at home, teachers have been holding classes in the stadium, scheduling classes at times when parents go shopping in town, bringing their kids. They also hold classes in Chapter Houses (a council chamber for each remote clan), which have internet service.
On the bright side, Geraldine Peshlakai, Principal for Intermediate Learning Center of Window Rock Unified School District, spending more time with their parents is an opportunity for kids to learn more about their clans’ respective cultures.
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