Schools in Maharashtra focusing on bringing back students to offline learning

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all schools were closed for almost two years during which, students right from the kindergarten to post-graduate level were exposed to online teaching. They are now so much addicted to online learning that it is becoming difficult to bring them back to the normal offline teaching mode.

PUNE: With schools reopening after Diwali holidays in most parts of Maharashtra, the state education department has decided to focus on two major issues namely, mobile de-addiction of students to reintroduce them to normal offline learning and remediation teaching in which weak students will be given extra classes.

The state education department has decided to focus on two major issues namely, mobile de-addiction of students to reintroduce them to normal offline learning and remediation teaching in which weak students will be given extra classes. (HT PHOTO)

Dinkar Temkar, state director of the education department, said, “There is good response to schools which have started offline classes prior to Diwali vacations, but one thing majorly noted is that students are addicted to online teaching. So, it is important to reduce their mobile or laptop addiction and engage them in offline studies through various teaching and fun activities and games.”

“Another important process that we are focusing on is ‘remediation teaching’ under which extra classes will be taken for those students who are weak in studies. In the last several months, the connection with books, reading and writing habits has reduced amongst students. So, it is necessary to develop their studying habits and reintroduce them to the normal offline learning experience. Accordingly, instructions have been given to all district-wise education department officials and further to teachers,” Temkar said.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all schools were closed for almost two years during which, students right from the kindergarten to post-graduate level were exposed to online teaching. They are now so much addicted to online learning that it is becoming difficult to bring them back to the normal offline teaching mode.

Even teachers are worried about the students’ mobile phone addiction. Swati Chitraw, a primary school teacher, said, “In our class, there are 20 students out of which currently only eight students have resumed offline classes. Other students and even their parents are demanding that online classes be continued; it has become like an addiction for them. The Covid pandemic will go away someday and we need to return to the normal education system. Even parents should understand this.”