Looming divide

Apropos of ‘Digitally deprived and divided’, the governments, both state and Central, spend a lot of funds on government schools, and yet, the general perception is that the quality of education available there is pathetic. To improve the quality of education in these schools it should be made compulsory for all new appointees as teachers to educate their children in government schools. This stipulation cannot apply to existing employees as the courts will strike it down. However, it can be a condition for fresh employment. Also it is time to debate why the access to Dhanwantari (quality healthcare) should be limited by the access to Laxmi.

Deepak Kapoor, by mail

Glaring disparity

When educational institutions across the country were shut down in the wake of the lockdown, remote learning became the lifeline for education (‘Digitally deprived & divided’). It highlighted wide disparity in access to education and the digital divide among socio-economic groups. The introduction of new digital technologies, tools and services has widened this gap further. The corporate online companies are making huge profits during the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The digital divide may threaten the country’s social cohesion. We should keep our ground realities in mind and avoid imitating the developed nations blindly. Like China, the government should adopt corrective measures to ensure that digital education does not amplify inequalities. It should enhance budgetary allocation to 6 per cent of GDP as promised in the new policy to improve the quality of education for all.

Tajpreet S Kang, Hoshiarpur

Digital obstacles

Digital services have improved the lives of people by eliminating long queues, corruption and misinformation. However, a deluge of fraudulent calls and messages has appeared in mails, messages and chats. Vulnerable people have lost their hard-earned money by clicking on messages or answering unsolicited calls. Digital service providers should provide training to users for safe transactions. The government should safeguard the interest of the public by taking prompt action and using AI to curb such calls and messages.

Varinder pal Singh, by mail

Chaos in House

What we are seeing in Parliament these days is a travesty of democracy. The country is passing through unprecedented times due to the pandemic. Instead of discussing how to address the health and economic crises, our representatives are creating pandemonium in the House. Though it is primarily the government’s responsibility to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament, the Opposition also needs to be perceptive. Interrupting proceedings have become a win-win situation to both sides. The ruling party avoids debates on issues which embarrass it, and the Opposition shows that they are agitating on the issues of people’s concerns. Like all others, parliamentarians are also accountable for their actions.

K Kumar, Panchkula

Border dispute

Refer to ‘Assam-Mizoram feud’; the Centre should take a serious note of the simmering inter-state conflicts that need to be settled at the earliest. Some elements of this dispute between two Indian states seem as ugly as one between two hostile countries. The failure to reach amicable settlements within the country is the failure of domestic leadership. The Centre should constitute a new boundary commission to resolve the simmering disputes. Assam and Mizoram CMs must calm tensions instead of stoking them. The Home Minister should help broker a permanent solution between the states.

SK SINGH, by mail

Executing NEP

Apropos of ‘The way forward for implementing NEP’, implementing the new policy will be an uphill task for the government as most of our government schools are sans infrastructure and institutional mechanism. The goals envisaged in this policy will require humongous capital investments and human resources and a complete metamorphosis of our prevalent educational system, and above all, a spirit to make sincere efforts to achieve these goals in near future so that we can make India a knowledge superpower.

Archana, Mandi

US strategy unclear

The meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is futile. The US has removed its soldiers from Afghanistan, which is a threat to India. Pakistan thinks with the help of the Taliban it can control Afghanistan. The US is double-minded about Quad, as it is not clear if it is against China or is supporting it. China is capturing and influencing the Indian Ocean Region. It has captured Tibet and is bullying Hong Kong and other countries. The US should make its strategy clear.

ASHWANI KUMAR, CHANDIGARH

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