Page 18 - EducationWorld September 2020

Education News

DELHI tries for a few months now. A feed-
Reopening dilemma back survey of parents conducted

by the Union education ministry
indicated that the great majority of
urban parents are not in favour of
reopening until the rising curve of
the Covid-19 pandemic is flattened
or an anti-coronavirus vaccine be-
comes available. Ranged on the other
side are business/industry leaders
who are of the opinion that the toll
the pandemic lockdown has taken on
livelihoods and the economy is be-
coming unbearable. A rising number
of academics are veering around to
this viewpoint as well. They say the
loss of learning and emotional/men-
tal damage to students caused by the
prolonged national lockdown is also
becoming unbearable.
A
According to m b a ris h R a i,
Government primary school children in Delhi: rock and hard place options national convener of the RTE Forum
— a coalition of over 10,000 educa-
HE UNLOCK 4.0 GUIDELINES Coterminously, the ministry of tion NGOs — as acknowledged by
announced by the Union health and family welfare is in the NEP 2020, 32 million children are
Tministry of home affairs on process of drawing up broad SOPs out of school and if they don’t reopen
August 29 which extended the long (standard operating procedures) soon, this number will double imme-
period (since mid-March) of closure for schools and higher education diately as 70 percent of the coun-
of all education institutions until institutions (HEIs) within home try’s children haven’t been studying
September 30, has opened a small ministry guidelines, and a task force for the past six months because of
window for their early reopening. appointed by a group of ministers lack of access to online education.
According to education insiders on Covid-19 management, headed “Child labour, trafficking and child
in the national capital, the Union by Union health minister Dr. Harsh marriages have started showing an
cabinet has finalised a plan to restart Vardhan, is working on the modali- upward trend and if schools continue
schools and higher education institu- ties of the reopening plan, which is to remain closed, this situation is
tions in a phased manner with effect expected to be unveiled by end-Sep- certain to get worse,” says Rai.
from September 21 until November tember. However, state governments Nevertheless implementation of
14 (Children’s Day). will have the final say in the mat- SOPs in government and low-fees
Under this plan, from September ter and will calibrate reopening of BPS (budget private schools) —
21, outside local containment zones, education institutions in accordance especially in rural India — is likely
50 percent of teaching and non- with locally prevailing pandemic to pose a formidable challenge for
teaching staff will be permitted to re- conditions. Hill states of north-east their managements. Decades of
sume offline teaching/telecounseling India and other states where the under-funding of public educa-
and related work. Further, under the virus infection is low will be the first tion has taken its toll. According to
guidelines, classes IX-XII children to restart senior schools. official DISE data, only 50 percent
will be allowed on a “voluntary basis’’ But, informed opinion is unani- of the country’s 1.5 million schools
to visit their schools to seek guidance mous that when schools reopen have proper drinking water facilities.
from teachers. In higher education they should be restricted to class VI Although the health ministry’s SOPs
institutions, research scholars and upwards, and to a few hours. Also, have directed district administra-
postgraduate students will have schools will be advised to run at one- tions to provide water tankers where
access to laboratories and libraries. third capacity with students to follow there is shortfall or no supply of
ITIs and other skilling institutions staggered timings as well as alternat- water, the logistics involved are very
including NSDC-partnered training ing school days. challenging.
centres, will also commence gradual The schools reopening plan has D r. P ra tib h a S in g h , WASH
re-opening from September 21. been on the table of several minis- (water, sanitation and hygiene edu-

18 EDUCATIONWORLD SEPTEMBER 2020