Online learning endangers children
The buzzword today seems to be ‘Online’. Everything can be done or got online. It forms part of the education scenario, percolating down even to the Kindergarten classes. By contrast, in Karnataka, just the previous day,on June 10, 2020, the government has announced: ‘No Online classes for children from KG to 5th standard”. The order by the Government of Karnataka is possibly motivated by the harm that could result from online learning/ teaching. Parents, educators and Government policy framers need to give serious thought to these dangers before encouraging online learning indiscriminately, for children of all classes and without ensuring their privacy and security. May I enumerate a few dangers of online learning.
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Looking at a screen continuously strains the eyes of children. Constant stooping over a mobile phone or I-pad leads to poor posture with consequent unhealthy effects on the internal organs. Infants in particular learn by interacting with the physical world and with other humans, and it is likely that very early interactions with electronic devices rather than humans, can disrupt neural development. Time spent on devices may become a substitute for physical or activity, or social activity with other people, which is detrimental to physical, social and emotional well being. Online activity exposes children to risks of sexual exploitation and cyber bullying. May I suggest: Online learning be used for older children, For younger children the teaching could be concerned with activities like crafts, singing, dancing etc, For younger children let the focus be on online training of parents to personally teach their children. Other alternatives need to be explored for families with computer illiterate parents or with no access to computers/ mobiles – seek collaboration of Software companies to set up filters ensuring the privacy and security of children.
Philomena D’Souza, Panjim
Brahmanand can help revive football
Despite football being the official Sport of the State, over the years it has been on a very remorseful downslide. But now with the appointment of Goa’s first Arjuna Award winner and former India captain Brahmanand Shankhwalkar as the Chairman of the Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) it will act as a much needed booster to revive the game to its glory of yesteryears.
In 2012, the Goa Government created the GFDC with a whopping Rs 5 crore annual budget but it ended up being another white elephant unable to groom the young football talent in the State. The onus now would be on the outstanding footballer Brahmanand Shankhwalkar who will shoulder the task of professionally uplifting and restoring the past football glory in the State.
The Taleigao-born Brahmanand Shankhwalkar is no stranger to our Ribandar having started his 25 year playing career with the local based Panvel Sports Club. Let the sports field be ably managed by young and dedicated sports persons. And in Goa we have so many of them and they will do us proud while bringing brilliance to Sports. The great athlete Eric Heiden has been of the opinion that “Sports and politics don’t mix” while “You cannot mix sports with politics” is what the martial artist Jackie Chan has opined.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
We need to ask “why”?
It is extremely painful to see what is happening to Goa and Goans at large. It’s like they have been thrown in a pot of sewer by a government that just does not seem to care for their wellbeing. With the gates open for anybody to get into the State, especially keeping in mind that we surrounded by states that are in the red zones, Goa has been hit with a surge of Covid-19 cases.
The sad part is the risk it is imposes on people with comorbidities, which include the elderly, the ill, and the children at large. Throwing caution to the wind and moving towards herd immunity was not the right way for Goa, especially keeping in mind that we did all we could to finally get the tally to zero cases of Covid in the State. Will the government take the responsibility of those people , who God forbid, will die of this virus? We Goans would have survived with whatever little we had as long as we were safe. Small business would have done some business, our local vendors would safely sell their vegetables.
Today, I am afraid to buy fish from our local fisherwoman and thus robbing her of her daily wages. More incentive could have been given to agriculture and individual business initiatives. Now, people are afraid to even go out of their homes and living in fear.
People of Goa, especially in the villages are going on private lockdowns when they could have very well opened their small businesses and moved out freely. This is thanks to the government that still refuses to lock down Vasco. We wonder why? Is it because of the coal that passes through Vasco? And why was the government in a rush to open the borders? Was it to start tourism and then perhaps gradually start Casinos? These are questions that every Goan should retrospect upon and make choices for our greater good.
Marie Fernandes, Mala
Villagers show the way again
Goa is blessed with a number of very good chess players. They are trained to think 10 moves ahead of any action taken. They have learnt to master the game. Only they can compete in international tournaments.
The Covid-19 is a new virus. We must first learn all there is about it. Only then we can take defensive measures. All measures taken must be well thought out: what can happen down the line must be evaluated before taking any action.
Compromising is like lying: One when you start you have no option but to continue doing the same. Decisions taken are a matter of life and death.
We have teachers in the form of other countries who were affected well before us. If we close our eyes and try short cuts: we are only looking down the barrel of a gun.
Those countries underwent: Lockdown, testing all people at high numbers per day, quarantining, contact tracing. They flattened the curve of positive cases and then, and only then, resorted to unlocking progressively.
India followed the same process: However, we are now unlocking when cases are still rising leave alone flattening of the curve. Goa is doing the same.
If this is a calculated decision to deviate from other successful countries: then what can we expect down the line? The Govt. is bound to let the public know. Will we be changing SOPs like new containment zones as seen in Mangor? Will we close offices used by all contacts? We then compromise on even these measures like is happening in Vasco? We then have WHO call for another lockdown like it has done in Pakistan?
And just look at the villagers: They are self-locking! And we do not want to give more powers to the Panchayats. They know the quality of quarantine places. They know the line for testing. They just know. They are a revelation to TTAG and GCCI. Safety to life first then economy! Economy is controlled by a few: We know there is vast divide between the rich and the poor. All measures are taken in the name of economy: who actually suffers with a low economy? 10% of Indian population holds 77% of total National wealth. Their returns are being catered to at the cost of the poor’s lives?
R Fernandes, Margao
