FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024
Team Herald
Ponda: With some schools already starting the online classes, MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar on Friday opposed the idea of online education saying it is beyond the reach of poor students.
He added that the statement made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that online teaching is not compulsory has created huge confusion in the minds of the students and parents.
“The CM should first clear whether he wants to say online education is unauthorised or unofficial,” he added.
Dhavalikar added further, “The CM should make clear to the parents and students what would be the exact education policy for the current academic year to avoid confusion in the minds of parents and students. Against the backdrop of COVID-19 crisis, many poor parents are going through a tough time. When they are struggling to earn their daily wages under the present crisis, buying smart phones would be a distant dream for them. Further, internet connectivity and poverty would deprive their children of education facilities if it becomes online. We want the poor and rich students to have equal opportunities in education.”
“The CM is aware that there is connectivity problem in rural areas and also knows that not all the villages have mobile towers. Despite knowing about the network problem, how some of the schools have started online classes,” the MLA questioned.
“When I asked the Education Director about the issue, he said that he will discuss with the CM and get back to me soon but so far I have not received any reply from him,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Goa Progressive Front leader Hridaynath Shirodkar also demanded that the government declare this academic year as special, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and frame a suitable education policy for the academic year by taking into consideration the views of all the stakeholders.
