Slipping through the net: Lack of broadband major issue for more than half of Kilkenny teachers

Teachers in Kilkenny feel they are the most underprepared to educate their students online due to the ongoing coronavirus restrictions, according to a new survey.

More than half of local educators complain of slow broadband. Almost half (48%) fear their students do not have adequate access to online teaching.

The worring figures were revealed this week as part of a survey compiled by Studyclix, an online resource for both secondary school teachers and students.

Some 1,500 teachers across Ireland took part in this survey, which was carried out on Monday and Tuesday of this week. And the results provide an interesting snapshot of how teachers are coping with the lockdown and the pressures they face.

The survey found Kilkenny teachers are the most concerned in the country about their ability to deliver the required education to their students. They cite the lack of access to broadband and connectivity as the main issues.

The survey found 52% of teachers in Kilkenny are experiencing slow or bad broadband connectivity in their own homes, ranking second in the country – just behind Mayo – where 53% of teachers report this as their most pressing concern.

This 52% figure in Kilkenny far exceeds the national average of just 35% of teachers who say they experience broadband issues.

Almost half (48%) of teachers in Kilkenny believe their students do not have access to a PC, a tablet, or the internet to allow them to join online classes.

This is slightly higher than the 47% of teachers nationally who worry about their student’s ability to access classes. But the figure is still lower than the 58% of teachers in Carlow and Sligo who raise this as a major problem.

In all, 93% of teachers say they find it more difficult to teach from home than in the classroom.