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Task of rebuilding schools begins now

There is absolutely no doubt that schools will face a huge challenge with reopening
Last Updated 08 September 2021, 11:52 IST

The prolonged closure of schools will have its inevitable aftermath, in multiple ways. The opening of schools will not automatically solve the problem; in fact, it can only commence the process of rebuilding the school system which is in disarray now. It is not going to be easy. We need a well-designed strategy to undo the damage done by the absence of proper schooling for more than a year.

To begin with, let us disabuse ourselves of the notion that online teaching has been an effective substitute for in-person (physical) schooling. Though home-schooling has been in vogue in some countries, its efficacy is in serious question. In our country, it was tried for the first time, with varied results owing to the reach of technology.

There is absolutely no doubt that schools will face a huge challenge with reopening.

School-readiness itself is the first issue. Are the schools equipped to deal with the situation? Schools need to be cleaned up and sanitised. Staff, both teaching and non-teaching, have to be vaccinated, and should be observing all the required protocols. Well-ventilated classrooms and a limited number of students are recommended. Students need constant guidance to observe Covid protocols.

Parents, too, have an active role to play. They should have had both doses of vaccination. They should ensure that nobody with any symptoms comes into contact with their children. Children should be motivated to go to school regularly once schools open. There can be cases of school-shyness amongst the younger children. This has to be handled by parents with great care.

School counsellors can play a significant role to make the school congenial to learning. They can guide and motivate both teachers and children when they face problems of adjustment. Where counsellors are not available in the school system, senior teachers themselves have to play this role effectively.

Malnutrition among children is an issue that was not addressed all through the Covid crisis. School closure has resulted in lots of children from poor families going malnourished. This has to be addressed urgently. Opting for half-day school should not result in depriving children of their lunch. Even if school is only for the morning session, children from economically weaker sections should be provided breakfast and lunch as being planned by some states. Children who are under-nourished or malnourished often lag behind in studies. This is an obvious outcome as hungry children cannot concentrate their minds. Their brain development may have suffered.

What about teachers? Yes, they are going to bear the brunt of the long closure of schools. They will be the real catalysts during this transition process. They have a tough job on hand. They have to take care of the hygiene and safety aspects of the school and the children. They have to bring the children back to learning mode from which they have been long disconnected. This will be the toughest task teachers will face.

Classroom discipline will have taken a huge downslide. Many children will have attention-span issues. The socialisation skills of children may have to be refreshed and strengthened. All these must start from the word go. It’s going to be a stupendous job that calls for enormous patience, great physical prowess and unlimited resourcefulness.

Only a teacher with deep commitment can pass muster in this situation. Teachers need training, counselling and a lot of emotional support to undertake this task.

The authorities, government or private, have to take effective steps to hand-hold teachers when they take on this onerous responsibility.

Teachers therefore are at the coalface, and they are going to walk through a furnace for a few months. They need the parents’ empathy, and support too. It’s not a small task, but for the committed teacher, it will be a pleasant challenge. The sense of accomplishment will truly be great when at last the battle is won.

As nation-builders, the time has come for teachers to rededicate themselves to the cause of rebuilding their schools. Nothing can give them a greater sense of self-worth and fulfilment than reclaiming the children who are now in the wilderness. This is a golden opportunity for them to prove that ‘a teacher affects eternity’.

School leadership has a decisive role to play. Emerson said, “An institution is nothing but the lengthened shadow of one man”, and so the success of a school is an index of the leadership acumen of its head. This will be an acid test for them. They should motivate their staff to go the extra mile and do their part with utmost dedication and relentless enthusiasm.

If all the above factors synthesise and work in harmony, there is no doubt that we can reclaim the learning rhythm of our schools and recreate the vibrant academic climate of our schools.

(The writer is Director, Little Rock Indian School, Brahmavar, Udupi)

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(Published 08 September 2021, 07:12 IST)

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