MPs, Education Experts suggest Various Models for Schools to Regain Normalcy

Source: NDTV Education

Members of Parliament, education experts and teachers have underlined the need to reopen schools and expressed concern over the learning losses suffered by students. The Parliamentarians' Group for Children (PGC) with support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Swaniti Initiative had organized an online round-table conference to discuss the reopening of schools and various measures to be undertaken towards child-centric pandemic recovery.

During this discussion, they suggested various models for schools that would help in regaining normalcy and recover the learning losses. Schools across Maharashtra resumed physical sessions for Classes 5 to 12 on Monday after being shut for over one-and-a-half years in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As per Maharashtra's Education department-UNICEF Rapid Assessment Survey of November 2020, 36 per cent of children have not had any learning material in the past 14 months since the closures and 16 per cent of children are already employed outside the homes and at risk of never returning to school, the UNICEF said in a release.

"The circumstances warrant urgent actions at all fronts as this generation of children might not ever achieve their full learning and earning capabilities, which ultimately is a national loss," the release stated.

Also read: Understanding the Importance of School in Child Development