The novelty of online classes started by schools and colleges during the COVID-19 lockdown period has died down with the difficulties coming to the fore. Challenges range from lack of bandwidth at schools, houses of the teachers/lecturers to students not having sufficient infrastructure to log on to live classes for a two-way communication.
Mukkara Niranjan Reddy, father of two school-going students, finds it difficult to provide phones to both of them when their class timings clash. "I do not need large bandwidth of internet connection normally and do not have infrastructure at home, but was forced to take another high-end phone to log into the Zoom app to make them follow the lessons taught by their teachers," Mr. Niranjan explains.
Lack of textbooks
A seventh standard student Abhinav Reddy, who will be attending the eighth standard of State syllabus, has another problem. "With the new textbooks yet to arrive, whatever is taught over the phone becomes difficult to understand as I do not have any follow-up at home on the topic," he tells The Hindu. It was fun for some days, but with distractions at home, it has become difficult for parents to provide the right atmosphere always.
His sister Geethika, who completed the fourth standard, got addicted to the videos over the phone after the online classes have started. Keeping a tab on children throughout the day has become difficult and Mr. Niranjan feels it as an unnecessary evil. "We laboriously kept them away from these attractions for a long time, but now our control is gone. Let’s hope regular classroom education begins soon with proper precautions and COVID-19 protocols," he adds.
Inter lessons
Meanwhile, the Regional Joint Director, K. Chandrasekhar, is busy preparing lessons for Intermediate students and recording them. They will be put online for students in the entire State in time for the next academic year.
