The government has to initiate action plans to provide two doses of vaccination to all the students without delay to address the issue of ‘schooling deficit’, according to Amruth G. Kumar, Professor & Head, School of Education at the Central University of Kerala.
“If that happens, we could resume the offline classes by October. Ensuring tools and connectivity for synchronous learning to all the students at least by mid of June is another key task. For ensuring free schooling under Article 21A, a financial package needs to be implemented that includes not only the availability of equipment, but also meeting the recurring charges,” he said.
Stating that digital pedagogy needed to be implemented for teaching in its true sense instead of mimicking real classrooms in the digital mode, Prof. Kumar recommended the concept of ‘neighbouring student’ for ensuring improved teacher engagement of children who lived in the near vicinity. “A judicious trimming of syllabus shall be a great solace for children. Teacher training on digital pedagogy and skilling them to set question papers for open book examinations is another important priority,” he said.
Pointing out that covering the whole syllabus need not be the priority in this period of remote learning, Prof. Kumar said that “we place our children into the lap of social, emotional and intellectual experiences of schooling through education”. Online education falls short of an organic schooling experience. Restoration of these denied experiences should be our priority, he said.
The educationalist recalled that there was no authentic data yet on the digital divide among the students. “Are we mature enough to proceed with the remote education system,” he asked, while mentioning that the expenses incurred by the parents owing to the monthly subscription charges for cable television and internet violated the provision of ‘free education’ for all children envisaged in the Right to Education act under Article 21A.
