It’s sad and disappointing the the Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have taken such a step. Banning online classes uptil grade 5 (grade 2 for Maharashtra) is not the solution. Even if the best case scenario is discussed, parents are not willing to send children to schools till there is a vaccine or till COVID dies down. Both of which we know might take 6-12 months. Maybe more. So what about the children?
They have been holed up since March. Meeting no one other than family. No social interactions. No physical outings. When online classes started it was such a breath of fresh air for them. They were excited everyday to see their friends and teachers. P said “ Mama Class Teacher Time is my favourite. That’s when everyone shares. We get to perform for our class and we get to know ma’am better”

“Sorry baby. It’s off now “is what I have to tell her in the morning when she wakes up. Unaware that the government of Karnataka feels that learning needs to be stopped, she will wake up and prepare for her classes at 8:30am. When she heard about it first she was like “WHY???? It’s so much fun!”

Some so called experts are saying increased screen time affects mental health. But that’s for passive screen time. School is not passive. It’s so so active. There is so much interaction happening between the teachers and students and the students with their peers. You need to really sit through some classes and see how they are going. Teachers are teaching and kids are LEARNING!

Keeping kids away from learning for a long period of time won’t affect their mental health? How will they suddenly get back to learning one fine day when schools reopen physically? (God knows when that will be. 6 months, 8 months, 1 year?) their minds will be off learning for so long! And if parents try to engage them constructively, they are going to turn to the internet! That’s the only place where they can get active content for kids learning. Ban the edutech companies. Ban you tube. Ban all teachers taking online tuitions. Does it make any sense?

Schools were giving such a controlled amount of screen time with sufficient breaks. A’s preschool was literally give 2-3 minute videos to be shown to them. Why can’t they see that? Just put a ban is their solution. They don’t want to delve deeper into it. They don’t want to do any work and put in efforts. Just ban everything because we have the power. Who will work.

They argue that people with lesser means will not be able to access online learning. So people with lesser means are only till grade 5. Above that , all means appear on their own. Talk sense. Our neighbouring states are looking for ways and means to engage school going children by streaming classes in local channels. Learn! Get off your asses and do some work! Why are you stopping others from working hard too?

These are only policies of regressive governments. Instead of upping their game they are pulling everyone down. This is going to cost the kids a LOT! Wake up! Or you will be faced with a different kind of challenge in some time.

Schools have really invested a lot of time, effort and money into these online classes. They have not charged us an extra rupee. Same tuition fee as last year in more eased instalments. No extra money for online classes. The teachers have been trained over the summer holidays to use the Internet and online tools to teach the kids. And they have done such a fabulous job. Kudos to them!

Schools are willing to go to court. PIL has also been filed by many parents. Waiting for a good outcome. Let’s hope sense prevails. Let’s hope our kids are not deprived of their very fundamental righ “right to education”