BENGALURU: Goodbye, traditional schooling. Hello, virtual schools! As the threat of a third wave looms large, educational institutions are switching to digital modes. Some institutions like 3E Home schools, are now playing to the situation. The dedicated virtual schooling model launched on Monday. Founded by three educationists Dr Radha Singh, Dr Latha Murthy, and Dr Kumar, 3E home school has opened admissions for students from kindergarten to Class 5, with an integrated syllabus. Virtual labs to virtual adventures, the school sans a physical space aims to introduce students to a technologically-savvy environment, especially when there is an unprecedented crisis looming.
Parents are worried about paying exorbitant fees to private schools even during lockdown. This was the bedrock of introducing homeschooling options with virtual training methods. Murthy says, “The idea cropped up during the first wave of the pandemic. We believed that parents were burdened with high school fees rates. The concept of home schooling is to offer affordable fees and a required amount of screen time to sync with the situation.” The founders also explain that this concept brings education directly to the drawing room of a child, minus uniform, transportation, a physical setup, among others. Despite distant learning having its own disadvantages, parents are ready to opt for it considering the current health crisis.
Dr Amrutha Menon, mother of Akshara Ranjan, a UKG student, says, “Since the pandemic is here to stay for a while, homeschooling is the safest option. My daughter is currently attending a traditional school but I will soon be switching to homeschooling. I am confident that virtual schools are the way forward.” Agrees Shilpa Spoorthy, an architect and student mentor, who says, “Homeschooling will involve more family members in a child’s growth. Extra curricular activities can always take place when the situation is back to normal.”
Parents also believe that children can spend more time on their passion after ‘class’ hours. However, Gowrisha Joshi, deputy director, Centre for Educational and Social Studies, believes otherwise, pointing out that this is an unhealthy trend. “There is no physical interaction, no outdoor activities, all of which will affect a child’s mental and physical health to a great extent. Since the current situation demands safety, homeschooling is the best choice, however, it will not work for a longer run,” says Joshi. Concurs Vijayalakshmi R, an official of Poorna Learning Centre, who says, “We engage children in alternative learning methods like handicraft making, organic farming, theatre, dance, music and other skill development courses which require physical setup and training.”