Corona Virus has brought about a sea change in the world of education too. Schools, colleges and universities, which for years contended that studying online was not the right way for imparting education, are changing their attitude.
The online technology they were uncomfortable with, is gradually becoming essential due to the restrictions imposed in the wake of the pandemic.
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The online technology they were looking uncomfortable with, in a fortnight, it suddenly became acceptable to them, but also mandatory.
It could perhaps be called a turning point in the world of education.
An educationist said he always felt comfortable and happy to be amongst students and become one of them in classrooms but acknowledged that this conventional method of teaching in classrooms will gradually change now.
But whenever a new technology comes into the world, some people can’t take advantage of the new technology at that moment. That is the real truth.
It has always been very difficult to advocate any changes or reforms in the field of education too. For example, the ‘assembly line teaching’ (public education aimed at preparing children to adapt to industry) emerged during the Industrial Revolution was heavily mocked.
At that time, even songs were written about how this schooling is like a sausage factory, in which every student is a brick on this wall. But that wall retained its place; rather it remains to this day. Indeed, the schools soon realized that this turmoil could end their status. School and higher education struggled for decades. As a result, the institutions adapted themselves to the new system.
Today, we are in the initial months of the same upheaval. As long as the physical threat of corona remains, parents will hardly prefer to send their children to school. With a large number of people losing their jobs due to the lockdown, many parents are unable to pay school or college fees of their children. There are instances where parents have withdrawn children from educational institutions simply because they don’t have money to pay their fees
Other hand Schools cannot avoid this at all. And the schools can ill-afford this situation for their very survival. Online classes seem to be the best option under the circumstances. Another problem that schools and colleges are faced with is the financial burden of paying salaries to teachers and other staff.
For now, it has only made offline classes and materials available online. Soon it will become proficient in this and will be able to take it to every child. Online courses from the best teachers around the world will be provided to students, or they will be guided by virtual or real-world study groups. This demand-based system can be better than the old method.
Nobody will need to come to school in this. Teachers can also show their magic through tuition or other learning centres. Schools can also be freed from the burden of giving certificates. The information technology sector has been doing this for some -time, the Scholastic Assessment Test (SET) is not dependent on the school. Students can appear in any of the board, state and national exams. Textbook e-content will play an important role in the assessment in the coming days. Yes off course, local facilities are needed only for sports. However, a student can participate in a global competition far better than taking a test or writing an essay in school.
The question is that if the school is not fit into all this today, then it must ask itself about its existence.
In the aftermath of Covid-19, we need to make gradual but definite changes in our education system.
