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Pune schools begin online classes, parents struggle with additional homework
The lockdown restrictions have left families with school-going kids to struggle to manage online studies of children, their professional responsibilities and household chores.
For Cleta Pardeshi, a working professional and mother of two primary school children, it’s been difficult to manage home, work and kids’ studies since schools started online and digital classes from Monday.
“My husband and I have changed our work from home schedules to sit with kids during their online classes. With the lockdown restricting movement of domestic helps, I need to look after cooking, cleaning and maintaining the house, and now my kids’ digital schooling. As children of these age are not so attentive, I need to sit with them when teachers are giving instructions and write it down for them,” said Cleta.
The Pardeshi family resides at Kanchan Galli lane on Law College road. Cleta works at a senior position in a private IT company and her husband Rajasatyen Pardeshi is a chartered accountant. Their daughter Saanvi Pardeshi is studying in Class 2 and son Mitansh Pardeshi in Class 1.
“Recently we bought a laptop for children’s online studies and school assignments. It is also a financial burden during this crisis situation.” said Rajasatyen.
State chief minister Uddhav Thackeray after a meeting with education minister Varsha Gaikwad on Monday announced that online or digital schools can start from June 15. According to the state government, there will be no online classes for students till Class 2, and also announced the daily timings for online lessons for Class 3 to Class 10.
For Atul Jain and his family residing at Bibvewadi area, the online classes has become an additional homework for them. “My daughter is in Class 4 and is getting online assignments from school and we have a two-year-old son. Our shop was closed due to lockdown, but now I need to sit in shop as relaxations have been announced. We parents share the responsibility of sitting with kids, but poor internet connectivity and long hours in front of mobile or laptop screen are issues that needs to be looked into.”
The lockdown restrictions have left families with school-going kids to struggle to manage online studies of children, their professional responsibilities and household chores.
Schools have started online classes
Winifred Bhalerao, principal, St Paul’s School, Pune said, “For Class 1 to 8, we are doing digital classroom activities and for Class 9 and 10 online classes are been conducted by our teachers. In digital classroom, WhatsApp group of parents is done standard wise and daily school assignments are been given to students. For online lessons we take only two hours classes daily and a detailed timetable of each week is sent to students, so that they are prepared for the subject. Parents have downloaded the ‘Topscorer’ mobile application in which there are subject wise videos and worksheets to complete. Even our teachers are preparing worksheets, making video lecturers and sending it to parents.”
Sanjay Shendge, principal of Seth Dagaduram Katariya English Medium High School, said, “I do not support online classes, but have started it for students on temporary basis. So Class and division wise classes are been taken on Google Meeting and Google Classroom mobile applications. Daily we take classes for two hours, 1 to 2 pm then a break of half and an hour and then 2.30 to 3.30 pm. Only for Class 8, 9 and 10, the class duration is for three hours. So, students do not get much affected by mobile or laptop screens.”
Instructions given to schools
Talking about conducting online classes, Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram said, “We have received the guidelines from the state education department and sent to all schools. As per the education department’s instructions, schools can take online or digital classes for students. Schools not following the instructions will face action.”
