Delhi: Schools and parents divided over hybrid learning, offline tests

Some parents have claimed that the school authorities were pressuring them to send their children to schools by holding exams in the offline mode

Even as schools in the Capital resumed offline classes for students in classes 9-12, parents and school authorities are divided over the provision of hybrid learning (offline and online sessions).

Schools reopened in the Capital on Monday. (Amal KS/HT)

Schools say that in-person sessions should be encouraged as Covid-19 cases have dropped in the Capital, but some parents have claimed that the school authorities were pressuring them to send their children to schools by holding exams in the offline mode. The Delhi government has not specifically ordered schools from holding exams in the offline mode, it has asked them to continue online classes for the benefit of those who wish to continue their studies from the comfort of their homes.

Sudha Acharya, the chairperson of the National Progressive Schools’ Conference (NPSC), which has over 120 schools in the city as its members, said while a good number of children have returned to schools, the continuation of a hybrid model of learning was hindering the return to pre-pandemic levels of learning. “As long as the hybrid or blended model of learning continues, all parents will not actively send children to school. This is also the reason behind the relatively lower vaccination rate in some schools. Due to the provision of hybrid classes, parents are of the view that they can delay vaccination as well as their children’s return to schools,” said Acharya, who is also the principal of ITL Public School, Dwarka.

Tania Joshi, principal of The Indian School, said attendance was gradually increasing in her school even as she noted that many parents have gotten accustomed to their children attending online classes. “Most children have become comfortable with online classes and parents don’t seem to be pushing them to return to school either. Some of them are waiting for the second dose of the vaccination while some plan to send children in the new academic session. It almost seems that parents are delaying the return by taking refuge in the option of online classes,” said Joshi, adding that online classes can never replace in-person sessions.

Parents, however, argued that schools were pressuring children to return for exams.

A parent of a Class 11 student enrolled in a private school in south Delhi, who asked not to be named, said the school informed everyone that it would conduct offline exams in the coming days. “My daughter is panicking since the exam will take place in school. This is not right since classes have taken place online. I wouldn’t want to send my daughter to school till she gets the second dose of the vaccine,” said the parent.

Aprajita Gautam, president, Delhi Parents Association, said a number of parents had shared that schools were compelling them on account of offline exams. “Teachers are making calls to parents and forcing them to return to school. The reopening order states that hybrid or blended learning model will continue but schools want children to come for offline exams,” said Gautam.

She said pressuring students in classes 9 and 11 was unnecessary.