Jetilo Apon
Tseminyu Town
With the emergence of Coronavirus/COVID-19 at Wuhan in China and thereafter became a pandemic. This consequently affected the educational system worldwide and leading it to the near-total closure of schools, colleges and universities. Most of the government around the world have temporarily closed educational institutions in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19. In India, on 6th March, a countrywide lockdown of schools and colleges was declared. on 19th March, the University Grants Commission asked universities to postpone exams. The board exams conducted by CBSE and ICSE boards were postponed too. Following the trend, Nagaland too temporarily closed all the educational institutions till further notice. Now, Distance Learning has become inevitable at this juncture. Online learning system has become a critical lifeline for education. Department of School Education (DOSE), Government of Nagaland, has already started online teaching through YouTube, facebook and radio channels in order to save the paralysing situation of education sector due to lockdown. The private schools in Nagaland too have started their classes through virtual mode by using different means of vediotelephony software apps.
According to www.wikipedia.org, “School performance hinges critically on maintaining close relationships with teachers.This is particularly true for students from disadvantages backgrounds, who may not have parental support needed to learn on their own.”When lockdown started and schools are closed infinitely, village school students are the most affected one. Lack of knowledge and access to technology, lack of fast and reliable internet and lack of regular electricity, etc. are definitely preventing this section of students from getting access to virtual tutorial lessons and notes. Therefore, there arises unequal access to educational resources by these category of students studying in primary and upper primary in villages and hence they are the most effected one. Does government has any policies or provisions for these needy students? How far have community leaders come forward to solve this depravity? Even though UNESCO recommends the use of distance learning programmes and open educational applications, it has become a mockery to the rural set up and economically backward like ours. DOSE has even requested the community leaders to assist the students on their regular telecast programme of the lessons for the students. How far is this mission carrying forward and impacting the economically poorest of the poor category of the students?
One should also start thinking of reviving Morung educational system in their respective villages or home schooling in their own compound if the situation grows from bad to worst. Otherwise, if our people continue to have this lukewarm and happy lucky go attitude, we may end up in a chaotic state of affairs. For this, village teachers, parents and community leaders need to put their heads together for the sake of the poor students.
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