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Ludhiana | Principals’ annual meet: ‘Post pandemic, schools must focus on social, emotional skill building’
During the meeting held in Ludhiana, which was attended by around 40 school principals, participants underscored the need to re-establish an emotional connect with students, and work on building their social skills, which had suffered due to stay-at-home protocols during pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic, which necessitated an overnight switch from in-person learning to virtual learning, had an adverse effect on students’ emotional wellbeing, asserted principals during their annual meeting at the Ludhiana Sahodaya School Complex (LSSC) on Thursday.
During the meeting, which was attended by around 40 principals, participants underscored the need to re-establish an emotional connect with students, and work on building their social skills, which had suffered due to stay-at-home protocols.
Espousing the need to understand students’ state of mind after two years of being homebound, BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, principal Paramjit Kaur said, “Students are enthusiastic and energetic but at the same time they are riddles with anxieties and apprehensions. Many students suffered acute frustration because of being locked at home. Some may have faced violence at home or in the neighbourhood, or some other stressers which may have had a devastating effect on their mental health. Thus, it falls to teachers to not just impart education, but understand students’ mindset while making them comfortable.”
‘Students emotionally distant’
Contending that being asked to maintain ‘social distance’ as opposed to ‘physical distance’ had made students awkward in group settings, BCM School, Chandigarh Road, principal DP Guleria said, “Teachers must focus on the holistic growth of students.”
Another principal said, “Technology, particularly online education through private resources, is taking over the education system. Thus, teachers must re-establish an emotional connect with students, which will help improve their mental wellbeing.”
‘Textbook reading has taken a back seat’
Principals agreed that with students turning to online resources during the pandemic, reading textbooks had taken a back seat. “It is major challenge for teachers to get students to read their textbooks. Moreover, parents interfere in their wards’ education and accuse school authorities of overburdening students. The real problem is that students have lost the habit to read or study over the last two years,” said Kaur.
BCM School, Dugri, principal, Vandna Shahi, said, “Nowadays students have numerous resources for studying as such teachers need to be trained and keep themselves updated. CBSE is also creating a portal for learning hubs,” she said.
Appreciating the state government’s decision to continue with physical classes till the month-end, Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu, principal, DAV Public School, BRS Nagar, said, “Students’ studies have already suffered a lot. Thankfully online classes will continue till the month-end as things are just getting back on track.”
