Bengaluru: The private schools association has strongly opposed the Prime Minister’s suggestion to shift schooling online, similar to the pandemic period, to address concerns arising from the Iran war. D Shashi Kumar, secretary of the Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka, stated, “For over 500 days, schools were shut during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are yet to recover from the impact it had on our children and their learning levels. Schooling should not be held online; it should be physical.” He added that online classes might work for higher education but are not suitable for schools.
Educationists Criticize the Proposal
Educationist Niranjanaradhya V P also condemned the recommendation, emphasizing that education is not merely a passive process of delivering information through a screen. “Education is a holistic process of social development, play, interaction with classmates, creativity, and building human values,” he said. He further highlighted the adverse effects of online education during the pandemic, including mental stress, loneliness, learning disabilities, vision impairment, mobile addiction, and social distancing among children. “We have not been able to find solutions to many problems even today. Many countries have banned and regulated the use of digital technology in education. The PM has given a short-sighted suggestion,” he added.
Long-term Consequences of Online Learning
The pandemic-induced school closures, lasting over 500 days, have left lasting scars on students. Learning levels have dropped significantly, and children continue to struggle with psychological and social issues. The association believes that reverting to online classes would exacerbate these problems rather than solve them. They urge the government to focus on strengthening physical schooling infrastructure and addressing the challenges posed by the Iran war through other means.
