For the first time the state is seeing a rare mismatch in the education space. Only recently did Higher and Technical Education minister Uday Samant announce that colleges would be close till February 15. However, it is the same state government which ordered that schools could reopen. At the onset, it makes little sense to see the disparity.
The new concern is, however, the issues of constant closure and opening of schools, which may lead to some amount of stress to a student. When asked how this reopening and closing will affect students, Mamta Bhatt, Head Mistress, St. Francis High School, SSC, Vasai said, “The student has two varieties of pressure, from the parent, to be safe, another of being in school. They have to maintain social distance, check the thermal temperature, sanitize themselves. Even for adults, things are not the same anymore, so how do we expect children to feel the same? I am sceptical that the school might close again due to different types of variants coming up. But we are ready to fight the challenge as we are following all the Covid norms given by the Government.”
A college principal, on the other hand, who is mostly running online classes, said that this time of the year is usually spent in exams and revisions and being online hardly makes a difference to youngsters. “They are online all the time, even assignments are online, so if they study from home it is fine. With school students, am sure parents want the rigour to be back,” said the college principal.
When asked about the constant back and forth, the principal said the reopening was also wanted for by the parents so the process may not be as harsh as it sounds.
Vishakha Mane, Center Head, Kangaroo Kids, Lohegaon, Pune said, “We don’t think that there will be any impact of school resumption on students. The schools in countries abroad have started much before us and they are working smoothly for younger children. I don’t think that the schools in our state will now close easily.”
“Relying on health officials and the government was identified as a reliable alternative for opening schools,” says Anjali Bowen, Principal of Ryan International School in Kandivali. “Regarding the future, the competent health authorities working with the government will surely be doing what's in the best interest of everyone. So, let's hope for the best,” she added.
Schools are not letting the online process disappear anytime soon. “We are taking maximum efforts to make the online learning experience better for our students and arrange sessions to keep the children socially active and interactive while they are studying from their screens in the confines of their homes,” said Principal Garima Salwani, Orchids — The International School, Kharadi, Pune.
