by Dr Manjeet Jain, In Collaboration with various principals of Education India
The coronavirus pandemic leading to the complete closures of schools has gravely disturbed the complete educational system across the globe,. Alarm bells are sounding in every school and the schools are struggling to find the possible alternatives for the interrupted education systems.
To find the challenges being faced by the schools we tried to contact the principals from various states of India. After talking to the principals, we found that it will not be exaggerated if we say that the Term BC [out of AD and BC] will be considered as Before Corona in the education sector henceforth.
Ms.Bharathi T B Principal of LRG Public School, Hindupur AP believes that E- learning has gained prominence even in the remote areas and now parents are able to focus and monitor the ways of teaching which were not possible earlier.
Mr Ashish Dave Principal of Pathak Public School, Rajkot says that the Learning process is going online but teaching is almost one way as interactive lessons are not possible as used to be before COVID 19.
While talking to Mr Joseph Joseph who is Principal of F D (Hameediyah) Hr Sec School Ahmedabad expressed that Covid-19 pandemic has proved that transformation is going to be an integral part of education post-Covid-19 and educators who are willing to convert their knowledge into digital use for others around will emerge as a change-maker in the education sector.
Schools are relaxed somehow with online classes but one of the most senior Principals Mrs. Preeti Verma from Image English School Ahmedabad showed another face of online education that before Covid 19 it was a two ways education system and at present it’s one way only. To the point teaching somewhat has gone mechanical with lacking an emotional bond of teachers and students as physical presence is missing.
The schools are closed, no early morning activities are seen. Somewhere silent sessions of online classes are on but aura of schooling is missing. One of my friends Mr Debabrata Biswas, who is leading a school Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand has an altogether different opinion he says “The Education Industry will turn once again towards the Consciousness-Based Education where we all shall realize the value of teachers once again”.
Indians are known for optimism and the same I could feel when Mr Tanmay G Jain Trustee of Discovery KIDZZ International Preschool, Surat explained that how Digital India’s vision of the government is emerging as a vital instrument for solving the present scenario of a shutdown of schools due to Covid-19. On the same line Ms. Anju Kumari Principal of Tripada Gurukulam Campus of Viramgam thinks this pandemic has proved that learning never stops. Online teaching and staying engaged through these were the challenges that everyone gradually has learned.
With the examples of Google’s new launch “Teach from Home” an information hub to teach educators on how to conduct online classes amid the virus lockdown Rashmi Mahajan- from Master Mind Institute from Mumbai finds this shutdown as an opportunity where the Indian education system has become more of digital-friendly and everyone is learning to be tech-savvy.
Students are happy about the flexible hours and getting to study in the comfort of their home. Teachers are also happy to work from with less workload. Technology companies, on their part, are helping institutions smoothen their sudden transition to online teaching format. A few new terms like ZOOM or WebEx have become common among all which were never listened to earlier.
After talking to so many principals one thing common I could see that all of them have a common voice “Let us hope the pandemic gets eliminated soon. Until then, keep safe” and this keeps the courage alive that “Nothing lasts forever and COVID – 19 too shall Pass”
Education is the one sector that is badly affected by covid 19