KOCHI: As the state government plans to reopen schools, TNIE speaks to parents, teachers and other stakeholders on how they feel about children going to educational institutions again even when the Covid cases are alarmingly high
If someone had told us this time in 2019 that schooling would be done online soon, we would have laughed. The Covid pandemic shook our idea of what is possible and what isn’t. Online classes managed to keep the education system afloat for almost one-and-half years, though it created a huge ‘privilege divide’ between those who can afford technology and those who cannot.
Now, the state government is contemplating the opening of schools. Though it is being done after a series of discussions with experts from all departments concerned, parents are still apprehensive about their children, especially because the test positivity rate (TPR) is yet to come down in Kerala.
There are, however, two sides to this coin. On the one side, those living in containment zones are concerned about children being exposed to the virus. On the flip side, others are worried about the mental health of their wards who have been confined to the four walls of their homes for nearly 17 months — one that could have dangerous repercussions on their character formation. A few schools in the city have started taking surveys from parents regarding the feasibility of children returning to schools when the government order comes through. Smitha Rajagopal, a parent from Kochi, is in support of physical lessons.
“My younger son is in class 4. He seems to have adapted to the online class routine. But there is more to learning than just listening to lessons. A child learns a lot more than academics when he goes to school and interacts with his teachers and classmates. We are ready to drop him at school and would rely on the school bus for his return journey in the evening,” she said. Her eldest daughter, a Class 11 student, also prefers to attend school.
However, Saranya T T, another parent from the city, is concerned about her kids being exposed to the virus when he gets back to school.“The TPR rates are still high in our area. My kid is in Class 5 and is satisfied with the online classes. The teachers are also very supportive. We don’t know why the schools need to reopen physically so soon,” Saranya said.
‘Kids need counselling’
According to Nazeer K, a member of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, proper counselling should be given to children before restarting physical classes. “Children have been staying in their homes for more than a year. They might have become more attached to their families and created their own support systems, and a sudden detachment could have its consequences. So, they should be prepared to handle this transition. Their emotional and behavioural issues must be addressed,” he said.
National Council of CBSE schools secretary-general Indira Rajan, who is also the managing director of Pragati Academy, Perumbavoor, said children struggled with stress during the pandemic, after staying in their homes for months and being unable to interact with peers.
“Kids are generally restless and curious. This is why we cannot wait for the virus to be wiped out completely to restart physical classes. But we also cannot resume them abruptly. We may have to hold offline and online classes simultaneously. In two weeks, we will get the feedback from the stakeholders concerned and then we can decide whether or to start classes for young children or not. We have already given a request to the Union Education Ministry not to consider shift as it is an additional burden,” she said.
‘WE’RE ALL DONE!’
Nellikkuzhy Government High School headmaster Gafoor N said the school is all prepared to welcome back students. “The whole campus has been cleaned with the help of parents, teachers and residents. Around four or five teachers are already coming to school on a regular basis. A special committee has been formed with volunteers that include all stakeholders. The water supply and sanitation system have also been readied,” he said.
State gears up
Recently, V Sivankutty, Minister for General Education, said steps would be taken to reopen schools in the state at the earliest. The education department is constantly in touch with health and local self-government departments regarding this, he said. Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had announced that universities and colleges in the state would open for final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students from October 4. He had also said that detailed instructions regarding the same will be worked out soon.