Online courses exclude many

No shortcuts to learning or inclusivity

Government authorities seem to believe that teaching online is a smooth solution to the disruption of classes caused by Covid-19. The University Grants Commission, which is expected to be attuned to the difficulties of educational institutions and of students, has proposed that all universities complete up to 40 per cent of their courses online during this break in the academic session. Its peculiar myopia overlooks, in the first place, the problems of internet connectivity in remote areas, and even that Kashmir has lacked access to the 4G network since last August. It is not just internet connectivity though. A national survey has found that a pitifully small fraction of families have computers at all. Teachers all over the country have objected to online classes, because that would create a “digital divide” among students.

The Delhi government’s decision to begin online lessons in government schools in April, for example, created enormous difficulties, ranging from the students’ lack of wherewithal to increasing the teachers’ workload. The teachers become responsible for communicating with every student and make online teaching possible. But without the immediate, face-to-face communication between teacher and pupil in school, the learning experience suffers immeasurably. There can be no shortcuts to either learning or inclusivity.