Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Feb 15: As the schools are set to reopen after remaining closed for at least three years since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the parents today urged the administration as well as the schools not to put pressure of immediate exams on the children and let them adjust to the change.
The parents said that the children were already under a lot of stress due to the online mode of education and other related factors and that it would not be in the favour of the mental well-being of the children if they are immediately asked to sit in exams or other measures aimed at compensating the losses to their education.
Asma Goni, convener of the Parents Association of Privately Administered Schools (PAPAS) told Excelsior that the children should be allowed to enjoy the school which they missed in the last 3 years.
“The children should not be burdened with immediate examinations, or the pressure of completing the syllabus, getting good marks and securing positions; they should be allowed to live and welcomed without any pressure,” she said.
She said that the decision-makers need to focus more on imparting education than conducting examinations with the reopening of the school across Kashmir. “Let them enjoy their books, and classrooms, stress on practical education,” she said.
As per the experts, the use of electronic gadgets is already harmful to children and the rigorous use of the same by the children during the pandemic has caused immense damage.
“And there is a need for taking the line of mentorship and counselling as the schools reopen, rather than putting more pressure on them,” one of the experts said.
The parents also said that there is a need for understanding the situation of students as they are set to witness another transition in the mode of education.
“So our request to parents and schools is to collaborate and make each student comfortable no matter what; make students comfortable and understand their mental state,” the parents said.
They also impressed that the schools now need to focus on mentoring and counselling them and that the authorities need to understand that both schools and parents are going through a tough time.
“They need to come forward and take responsibility of students especially those whose parents right now can’t afford to pay fees; also, the school should understand the situation of non-employed parents with a focus on imparting education and making students comfortable and stress-free,” Goni said.
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