Covid-19 outbreak: ICSE, CBSE schools start new academic yr with online classes

Even as parents and teachers are uncertain over the reopening of schools in the wake of the lockdown, several private schools, especially the ones affiliated with

Even as parents and teachers are uncertain over the reopening of schools in the wake of the lockdown, several private schools, especially the ones affiliated with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which begin the new academic year in April, have started classes online.

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“We have started online teaching sessions for Classes 10 and 12. It is a good experience to use a wide array of resources available on the internet for online teaching. It is challenging for schools but is also a very good learning experience,” said Kavita Sanghvi, principal of Chatrabhuj Narsee Memorial School in Vile Parle.

EuroSchool and Billabong High have started conducting live sessions through video conferencing and recorded sessions for the new academic year. The learning is further supplemented with digital textbooks, question-and-answer (Q&A) sessions and home assignments.

Teachers said the experience has taught them to use the technology which they otherwise would not have tried. “The only issue with the younger kids is that it is more challenging to keep them engaged virtually and avoid distractions,” said a teacher of a suburban school, which has started some of its classes online.

However, experts have warned against the complete replacement of classroom teaching with online medium. Francis Joseph, from SLN Global Network, a network of schools, said, “Online academic learning cannot replace face-to-face teaching.  Besides, our teachers need training to be online tutors. With elite schools turning to ‘online only’ instruction, disparity between privileged schools and affordable schools are bound to widen due to varying contexts in the students’ home environment.”