Online teaching remains out of bounds for these students

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 9

Amid the lockdown, many schools have started online classes. But only those who have a smartphone or a computer with a strong Internet connection can access these classes. The poor, especially daily wagers, are finding it difficult to provide separate mobile phones to their wards to continue with their online studies and this scarcity often leads petty quarrels over ownership of phone among kids.

Karamjit Kaur, whose husband runs a small hardware shop at a village near Raikot, said her four children fight for getting the only phone available in house to attend the online classes.

“The elder daughter studies in Class XII while other three children are lower grades. The elder daughter takes the phone and others suffer,” complained the mother.

“We can’t afford to four phones. There is just one phone and all my children fight over it for attending online classes. The kids are scolded by teachers for not doing the work,” said the mother.

Hers is not a lone case. Kala Ram, a daily wager from Rajoana Khurd, said his two children study in classes VIII and V. “When I reach home, I get complaints that kids were unable to take classes as there is only one phone in the house. There also network issues. I earn Rs 7,000 a month, how can I bear the cost of a smartphone and internet connection? Classroom teaching was much better and affordable for the needy,” said Ram.

Tehel Singh, press secretary, Government School Teachers’ Union, said some parents have complained about the problem. “In these cases, we ask students to reach out to other students/friends to attend classes. Students are advised to take notes from others”, said Singh adding that online teaching cannot replace classroom teaching.

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