Safety concerns: Parents in Pune prefer online classes

However, citing learning loss, schools and principals said that offline schools will be helpful for the studies

PUNE Despite the schools assuring safety of the students on school campus, parents prefer online classes as the Covid-19 cases spike again in the city. However, citing learning loss, schools and principals said that offline schools will be helpful for the studies.

Despite the schools assuring safety of the students on school campus, parents prefer online classes as the Covid-19 cases spike again in the city. (HT PHOTO)

Hairshchandra Gaikwad, president of the Pune district principals’ association said, “The teaching and non-teaching staff are geared up to start offline classes. Offline classes will help children bridge the learning loss. But in the light of the recent increase in cases, most schools will continue in hybrid mode of teaching. It is important to start offline lectures. Person to person interaction is important for children while learning and offline classes will ensure that.”

However, parents feel that online education in this scenario will be safer.

Prashant Khande, a parent said, “As the cases are increasing, parents are scared about the new variant. The immunity of young students is low. Also, only two months of the academic year are remaining. It is not going to make much difference for the students to attend offline cases. Higher classes can follow social distancing and other Covid appropriate behaviour but students from class 1 to Class 5 are likely not to follow.”

He added that many parents are facing the issue of transport. “School transport is not functional. Many parents have to drop students to school. As offices are functional, this becomes a difficult task. With the increase in cases, the government may take the decision to close schools in the next couple of weeks. And hence, parents are choosing online education over offline classes as of now,” said Khande.