Can students ask questions during TV classes: HC
Chief Justice Chauhan asked how online classes on TV will be successful when students have no scope to interact
The Telangana High Court on Thursday expressed doubts over how far online classes from September 1 will be successful in actually reaching students, especially those in interior areas and those whose parents do not have television at their homes and lack access to education channels.
Chief Justice Chauhan asked how online classes through TV will be successful when students have no scope to interact with their teacher and get their doubts cleared.
The court wondered about families having three children in different classes but possessing only one TV. It asked how three children will access their classes at same time.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy was dealing with several public interest litigations related to conduct of online classes from September 1 and demanding fee for allowing students to participate in online classes.
The court raised concerns about students, particularly those living in tribal areas like Adilabad, Asifabad and Mulugu, who study mostly in government schools and whose parents are illiterate and economically weak, as also urban children whose parents are daily wage earners. The court asked how these children will get access to TVs and whether the government had made arrangements for these students to attend the online classes.
A. Sanjeev Kumar, special counsel for government, submitted that district education officers have been instructed to monitor online classes closely and ensure that they run smoothly. The DEOs have spoken to Transco officials about uninterrupted power supply power when the online classes are on. Counsel asserted that the main intent of the government was to ensure that no student is idle or loses an academic year.
On Justice Vijaysen Reddy’s query whether the government has any plans to conduct physical classes for students in private schools with some students of each class attending the classes daily, counsel said there are no such plans so far. If the court so directs, the government may work on the issue. But counsel said parents may hesitate to send their children for physical classes and transportation will also be an issue.
Counsel for petitioner Hyderabad Parents Association Sheelu informed the bench that most private schools were insisting upon parents to pay fees for the entire academic year. Cases are being registered in police stations against parents who are protesting against such collection of fee.
On this, government counsel said the state government has issued GO. Ms. No. 46, dated 29-4-2020 prescribing fee limits for schools. Notices will be issued to schools violating these guidelines and their registrations may be cancelled.
The court adjourned the hearing to September 18 after directing all officials concerned to file their counter affidavits.