Struggles Of Micronesian Students Point To ‘Significant Issues’ In Hawaii School System 0 Creating stronger connections on campus is key to addressing longstanding disparities in educational achievement in the state.
Nova Ifenuk was already struggling to pass her freshman classes at Farrington High School when the state transitioned to remote learning in March 2020.
Sharing one hotspot with her three siblings made it difficult for Ifenuk to learn online. Her computer would often freeze or disconnect, and she had a sense that it didn’t matter if she showed up at all. The 15-year-old Chuukese student started skipping school multiple days a week and eventually flunked most of her classes.
“I didn’t really care, and I wasn’t motivated to go to my classes,” Ifenuk said.
Many Micronesian students – especially in high school – have been struggling for years, but the pandemic widened existing achievement gaps.
