Online classes under HC lens

Court questions long classes for lower grades, forcing parents to pay fee

Concerned that excessive use of computers, laptops, smartphones and tabs by children in lower classes for online classes could impact their physical and mental health, the Telangana High Court questioned the government as to how it was allowing corporate schools to hold online classes for hours.

“The state government is informing the court that it is yet to take call on conducting online classes. In reality, several schools are conducting online classes for hours, even up to the fifth class, and school managments are demanding that parents pay the fee. Unless they pay, the schools don’t allow the child to join online classes. How it is happening? Is there no authority to supervise it,” a division bench of Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy asked the government.

The bench was hearing PILs filed by the Hyderabad Parents Association and others questioning demand for fee from school managments for allowing online classes.

Justice Vijaysen Reddy expressed anguish over the functioning of Oakridge and Delhi Public Schools, which, according to information, were holding online classes for four to five hours with a 20minute break.

Justice Reddy asked counsel representing a group of private schools that are holding online classes as to whether drill classes are being held to involve children in physical activity.

Sanjeev Kumar, special counsel to the government, said the state Cabinet had decided on August 5 to hold online and distance education classes. An official announcement will be made by way of a notification and a government order. he said. It may not be possible to have a uniform time table with regard to the teaching hours.

At this, Chief Justice Chauhan observed: “On the hand, the State says that an official announcement is yet to be out on and on the other all private schools are asking parents to cough up the fee towards online classes. Why can’t the government come up with a clear decision, why is it saying ‘May be yes or perhaps not’? This is a contradictory statement.” The Chief Justice said, “You cannot have a child from Classes 1 to 5 sit before a screen for four hours continuously, because the attention of the child of such an age group cannot be more than 10 minutes. It will adversely affect the child. Perhaps, we are asking the child to be more disciplined than age permits him. Parents cannot maintain patience for not more than 20 minutes with the child in the house when compared to the teachers, who are patient even after spending five hours with the children.”

CBSE counsel sought two weeks time to file its stand. The hearing was adjourned to August 27.