E-Schooling for Pre-Schooling?

by Anamika Chauhan

Education institutions across the country still remain close in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and its severe waves.

With the closure of schools, educational institutions had turned to online classes. Online classes are providing students a way to catch up on the lost classes and continuation in education due to prolonged lockdowns.

However, attending classes online has given rise to a host of problems, not just for students but also for their parents.

Arohi Vairadkar is a student from the 2nd class. Over the past year, she has been studying online.

“Covid-19 not only suspended normal childhood activities such as attending school, interacting with extended family and friends, playing outdoors, and exploring nature but also disrupted the consequent socio-emotional benefits that accrue from children’s engagement in these experiences,” says Arohi’s mothers.

Online classes have taken a toll on students as they are facing eye problem and is even affecting them mentally.

Over the one-year period of e-classes, everyone has addressed health complications including obesity and lack of social skills and the other long-term effects of excessive screen time because children are glued to screens.

On the other hand, it is not just about students; but also their parents.

The parents are working, teaching, and parenting at the same time thus online classes have taken a toll on them too.

“My daughter is in second class now. Even after one year of adjusting to this new normal, things are getting worse. The schedule has changed, I run late for my work every day because she needs me before, during, and after the class. Because everything is online he easily gets distracted. Now I need to pay more attention to her and my workload has increased. She always complaints to me that her eye is paining .” said Arohi’s mother.

There was a time when children were not allowed to spend much time watching television but now it is related to their future. Even after such adverse effects on children, parents can’t even stop them from using laptops and phones because it is concerned with their future.

Undoubtedly, this is the strangest period of a growing kid’s life as well as parents, being trapped in a house, not being able to meet friends, no travel, and increased workload.

Anamika Chauhan

SY-Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Vishwakarma University, Pune.