A Footscray-based organisation supporting African Australians is seeking teachers and volunteers to support schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Africause founder Berhan Ahmed said his organisation had been working with Victoria University to support disadvantaged children with homeschooling.
He said pre-service teachers who will soon graduate had been supporting the initiative and now more volunteers were being sought for families across Melbourne’s north-west.
“We are approaching schoolteachers and volunteers to help kids from refugee and migrant backgrounds,” Mr Ahmed said.
“Before COVID, they were suffering attending class.
“According to statistics, they were three years behind their class in most cases.
“Now, with COVID, given the COVID challenges of isolation and homeschooling, these kids have lost the connection to school.”
Mr Ahmed said that as restrictions eased, many children returning to school would be trying to catch up.
He said one of the barriers was internet technology, which many took for granted.
“We take it for granted because we use it every day but there are people who have never used this,” Mr Ahmed said.
“That has created a lot of children with so many crises now.
“When the schooling starts, these kids will be far behind everyone in the class.
“So, the way we’re looking at it, as Africause, we’re organising volunteer teachers [to] assist with the kids for at least one year to bring them up to speed.
“Through Africause, we are working with families and that will give a child a chance.
“That volunteerism is something to get that child up to speed.”
Details: africause.org.au
