Page 62 - EducationWorld June 2020

Cover Story

Nandan Kuthiala ing Indian education in the Covid era?
Trustee, Jodhamal Public School, Jammu Poor Internet connectivity and ac-
cess to reliable digital devices. Most
andan Kuthiala is promoter- children, especially in government
trustee of the CBSE-affiliated schools, don’t have Internet connec-
NJodhamal Public School, tivity and teachers aren’t equipped
Jammu (JPS, estb.2005), which has with the digital skills to conduct
2,650 students mentored by 140 online classes. And once schools re-
teachers on its musters. An alum open, it will be a challenge to main-
of Mayo College, Ajmer and Delhi tain physical distancing and conduct
University and a real estate entrepre- sports and co-curricular activities.
neur, over the past 15 years Kuthiala Several state governments have issued
has nurtured and developed JPS into fees waiver/deferment circulars to
Jammu’s #1 co-ed day school in the private school managements…
EW India School Rankings 2019-20. The government should adopt a bal-
The Covid-19 crisis has majorly dis- anced approach as teachers and staff
rupted the education system. How has salaries need to be paid. To make
JPS responded to this challenge? fees payment easier, state govern- total revamp and standardisation of
Swiftly and proactively. We launched ments should direct schools to collect primary school curriculums to enable
online classes in the first week of monthly tuition fees during the lock- youngest children to learn through
April and supplemented them with down period — rather than quarterly creative play-based pedagogies.
in-house designed online worksheets and half-yearly. Transportation and Future plans…
and lesson notes. We have also other charges should become payable The situation in Jammu & Kashmir
purchased access to several reputed once schools reopen. is yet to normalise after the trifur-
online education platforms which is What are your proposals for reforming cation of the state, and now the
provided free-of-charge to students. K-12 education in India? Corona pandemic has made it worse.
This will enable them to access a The curriculums and assessment sys- But I am hopeful about the future
wide range of teaching-learning tems of state exam boards should be and have plans of promoting a new
content. brought on a par with the pan-India school in Kashmir or the Kangra
What are the major challenges confront- CBSE. Moreover, there should be a Valley.

Manjot Dhillon reality.
Founder, Mount Litera Zee School, Amritsar Several state governments have issued
fees waiver/deferment circulars to pri-
anjot Dhillon is founder- vate schools. Your comment?
director of the Mount Litera Although deferment of school fees is
MZee School, Amritsar (MLZS a welcome relief to parents experi-
estb.2014). An alum of Guru Nanak encing financial strain, time will tes-
Dev University, Amritsar, Dhillon is tify that it will also severely damage
also vice chairperson of the Amrit- private school education.
sar chapter of FLO (FICCI Ladies
Organisation) and a member of the What are your Top 3 proposals for re-
Board of Studies, Guru Nanak Dev forming K-12 education in India?
University. In the EW India School To revive and revitalise the education
Rankings 2019-20, MLZS is ranked system, government should grant
Amritsar’s #1 co-ed day school. greater autonomy to private schools;
ment. overhaul teacher training institu-
How has MLZS responded to the Co- tions to produce teachers equipped
vid-19 and national lockdown challenge? What are the major challenges confront- to mentor 21st century learners, and
MLZS has opened all windows of ing Indian education in the Covid era? revamp examination and assessment
opportunity to ensure the academic The pandemic has deprived thou- systems to measure children’s real
progress of our 1,200 students is not sands of children of their fundamen- learning.
disrupted. We started by training tal right to school education. With
our teachers and students to prepare government schools, especially in What are your future plans for MLZS?
for the switch to online learning by rural India, lacking even the most We are working on strengthening
familiarising them with new essen- basic electricity and connectivity the technological immersion of our
tial apps such as Zoom and Google infrastructure, online learning as a teachers and students; professional
Classroom. Online lessons are being solution is meaningless. It’s tragic development of teachers and prepa-
streamed live supplemented with that there’s persistent myopia and ration of a comprehensive plan to
participation in webinars on career unwillingness among our political make up for lost time when schools
guidance and personality develop- leaders to confront and address this reopen.

62 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2020