Schools look at tough balancing act as government mulls post-Durga Puja reopening
BHUBANESWAR: With schools being shut for more than six months now and the state government extending the closure to include the Durga Puja vacation, academics and teachers are worried for children’s mental health. Online classes cannot be a long-term substitute for regular classes, but schools will also have to take many measures to check the spread of the virus when they reopen, the experts added.
“Online classes are not as effective as offline classes. Many students fail to grasp concepts as fast as their peers. Teachers, too, are not able to keep a track of who has understood what. But it is not advisable for schools to reopen now as the health of students is our first priority. When we do open, quick recapitulation of already-taught modules is a must, apart, of course, from ensuring hygiene and sanitisation,” said Swoyan Satyendu, chief operating officer, ODM Educational Group.
Academics expressed concern that the indefinite school closure has not only affected the learning process of students, it has hit their cognitive skills. “Even career-minded students are terribly anxious and uncertain of whether the pandemic will subside and schools will reopen to a normal schedule. It is difficult to expect or predict anything. We can only hope and pray that the pandemic subsides after Durga Puja,” said Kamala Prasad Mahapatra, an educationist.
Although the Centre has asked schools to reopen with 50% staff and allowed students to go to school to get their doubts cleared and for brief interactions with teachers, schools in the state have not yet eased restrictions on students of senior classes.
“Seeing the current trend, it seems that schools can reopen in a phased manner only from the second week of November. As the boards have already declared nearly 30% reduction in syllabus, the closure of schools till then may have a serious impact on students, unless classes are continued thereafter. The students will have the pressure of classroom teaching,” said S P Behura, former principal of Kendriya Vidyalay-1 and academic adviser to DPS Kalinga.
With parents worried about the safety of children, schools have to take additional measures before they reopen. “Proper academic planning along with the implementation of Covid guidelines must be ensured,” said a teacher.
“Schools, of course, should not reopen unless we can ensure the safety of our children. When balancing the risks and rewards of different kinds of activities, the fact that long-term school closure may have possible negative impact on students deserves consideration,” said K C Satpathy, regional director of DAV Public Schools, Odisha.
He added, “As teachers, we understand that each child learns differently. Though online classes are productive for most students, we still have much to work on for ensuring real benefits reach all. Students without access to stable internet connection and devices or those in primary sections need a lot more than online classes.”
Contrary to the fear and concern of parents, most children want to return to school as they miss interacting with teachers and friends. “Online classes were fun in the beginning, but most of our doubts remained unaddressed. Classes feel like talking over the phone or watching TV,” said Prajna Paramita Rout, a Class VIII student.