Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, May 12: The 2G internet services that were restored on Monday night after six days is very slow and it has badly affected the on-line classes in Kashmir.
There are around 12 lakh students with 45 percent of them in the private schools across Kashmir and majority of them have been attending online classes since April this year but today classes were badly affected as the internet speed is too low.
The students said that they had to end the class in the middle of it due to what they called as “unbearable” 2G internet speed.
Earlier, the students continued attending the online classes on various platforms despite restricted internet speed, but this time over, they said that the speed is “pathetic” and gets really difficult for them to remain focused or even hang on.
The parents also said that when the kids encounter with the erratic video on the screen, they really do lose the attention and end up discontinuing the class.
“My kid had a scheduled online class today, but he could not continue due to the speed of the connection; before this, the speed was somehow better, and the kids could continue with their classes, but this time, after the internet was restored post fresh suspension, it is really difficult,” a parent said.
While the students said that their education had also suffered a lot, they said that the online classes were the only way out to make some good of loss. “But it is proving to be of no use as of now; it was a total waste today,” the students said.
The Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir also echoed the same feelings with regard to the way the education has been taking a hit amid COVID-19 crisis coupled with the absence of high-speed internet.
“You have to understand, the speed is slow, resulting in disruption of the online classes, subsequently, the students as well the teachers fail to continue with the classes, because at some point of time, it (online class) becomes useless,” President PSAJK, G N Var told Excelsior.
He also said that while kids remain locked up, one thing that could have kept them engaged was the online classes. “But now, when they are not even going to carry on with their studies, it is going to impact them psychologically,” he said.
He said that the initiatives taken here locally by the administration in order to make the students to catch up with their students must be supported fully by the centre. “If that does not happen, these initiatives are going to be futile,” he said.
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