Online education is not a silver bullet

A blend of offline-online learning should be the path for the future

Since March, Covid-19 has disrupted normal life, including the closure of educational institutions. It has upended academic sessions, led to the scrapping of examinations, delayed admissions, and upset plans of those gearing up to join the workforce or go abroad for further studies. Covid-19 has impacted over 240 million schoolchildren and 9.5 million teachers. According to a report in this paper on Sunday, schools are unlikely to reopen during Unlock 3.0.

The indefinite closure of schools created a learning vacuum for students. In a bid to ensure continuity in learning, many states began online classes. In May, the Centre launched “e-vidya”, a campaign to unify digital/online/on-air education efforts. Private players also joined the effort. While online education is providing a critical service in these times, it is not a silver bullet. A blend of offline-online learning should be the path for the future. This is because the transition from brick-and-mortar schools to technology-based learning has its challenges: Unequal access to devices and Internet connection; inadequate space at home to do online schooling; teachers lacking the training in delivering online classes; customised online content in short supply, and the impact of continuous online exposure on health. These realities must be acknowledged.

In a country as diverse as India, the delivery of tech-driven education cannot follow a one-size-fits-all approach, as the government mentions in its guidelines on online education. It is also important to remember that education is not only about tech; it is also about learning, interaction, and developing soft skills and social capital, which only brick-and-mortar schools can provide.