Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 24: One of the areas which have faced major challenges posed by coronavirus infection on a large scale happens to be education sector. The problems are manifold including the opening of schools, fee, holding of examinations etc. Any decision taken on these issues is bound to face criticism and opposition.

Already corona has taken away the first half of this academic year. The government has said that is unwilling to open schools at this juncture because of the fear of corona backlash. As usual, this decision has been criticised by a section of the people. Some people associated with it indirectly have admitted that holding offline classes for the first to eighth standard students and keeping them updated with knowledge appears to be a difficult proposition.

The 'Vidyagama' scheme introduced by the government for the benefit of the students failed to work the way the government imagined it to. It is difficult to modify the scheme and re-introduce it at this stage. The programme had been carried out by work conscious class of teachers, but because of certain incidents, the scheme had to be withdrawn. No alternative programme was provided by the government.

It is well known that online classes will not be effective for the children and it has to be supported by some other programme. Vidyagama appears to be very much needed with little changes here and there and before reintroducing it, the government has to earn the confidence of everyone.

Holding final examinations for SSLC and PUC students is very much needed in view of the future, further education, and employment. These exams are to be held during the first half of the next year by reducing the syllabus and by conducting classes. The government, therefore, has to start classes from January by maintaining social distance or resort to re-introduction of Vidyagama scheme.

In many cases, parents have not remitted fee to schools as the classes have not been held. Some private schools are threatening to dismiss or fail the students if no fee is paid. The government has to strike a deal between the schools and the parents. If the schools fail to maintain buildings and pay salaries to staff, it gives rise to another problem. This issue is difficult to resolve.

The knowledge of children gets adversely affected by not attending the schools. Next year, the teachers will have a bit of a problem. Therefore, measures like teaching previous lessons through bridge courses or capsule model courses or extension of teaching time etc may have to be taken and preparations have to begin now.

The expert committee has advised the government not to start classes now. The meeting, when noting that Covid cases in Karnataka have reduced, has observed with concern the situation in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat etc. During winter, as lung-related ailments can become complicated, it is felt to be not an ideal period to expose children to the outside. Health minister Dr K Sudhakar said that winter and possibility of the second wave of the pandemic have compelled the experts to take a long term view of the after-effects of the opening of schools.