KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to ensure that the online education of students is not affected due to lack of digital devices. The government should look into the grievances of the students and explore the prospects of developing a website with the assistance of Kerala State IT mission, where students can register themselves so that individuals, companies, and NGOs can voluntarily contribute to the purchase of phones and digital gadgets for them.
Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan issued the order on the petitions filed by six primary school students, which said that they did not have digital facilities at home to enable them to pursue education, which is now being conducted online. The petitioners contended that several thousand students like them, who belong to economically weak sections and disadvantaged groups, do not have access to smartphones, laptops, or for that matter internet connection to enable them to effectively participate in the online classes.
The petitioners highlighted the fact that they have the right to free and compulsory education which has been enshrined in the Constitution( Article 21A). The court directed the government pleader to inform it of the steps taken by the government to ensure that the petitioners are not sidelined by the digital divide and they are also able to pursue education like other children who have easy access to such gadgets.