PONDA: In the past, parents provided minimum mobile phone access to their children fearing cell phone addiction and its misuse. But, with the COVID-19 pandemic, parents are worried that their children will miss online classes by not providing them with mobile phones.
Most schools are preparing to commence online classes via mobile phones, which were banned in schools as the institutions claimed that they were source of distraction for students.
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The management had banned the use of mobiles in schools by students and if used the same was seized. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the situation as mobile phone has become need for providing online education to maintain social distancing. However, the parents are in a fix over the use mobile phones by their children.
Viraj Sapre said, “Due to the COVID situation there is proposal for online teaching. But in doing so, there are also ill-effects. If we provide mobile phones to our children for online study there are chances that they will use them the entire day. There are also dangers of students visiting illegal websites which are easily accessible. The rich can provide mobile to their children, but the poor cannot afford the same. No parent will know whether their children have understood the subject or not. Due to COVID pandemic it has become difficult to reopen schools.” “Online education is not affordable to poor parents and those, who can provide mobiles, are scared that their children might get addicted to playing games, etc,” he added.
Sapre said, “Instead of providing mobile access to children we should postpone academic year by a year and stay safe and wait for pandemic to end. This will not burden poor parents to buy the costly smart phones for children.”
Nayan Naik from Kavlem said her daughter is in Class XII and her school has commenced online classes and is facing connectivity issue.
