The world is suffering a pandemic and so as the businesses & economy. There are many businesses which have started shifting to digital mode of operations. Apart from all the businesses, there are few recession-proof occupations, which are Education & Healthcare. Now, the word occupation has been intentionally used here because it is said that Education & HealthCare are the most basic requirements for any human being and the people who are involved in this trade are serving the society but doing businesses. But, is it really true in present time?
If you are a parent of a kid under 10 years of age, you were always advised to keep your child away from mobile screens, laptop screens or T.V. screens. Has the COVID – 19 changed the rules? Have mobile & laptop screens turned friendly in the last few days? Or the technological advancement has stopped the effect on the mental development of a child which used to get affected by watching mobile/ laptops have stopped now?
For years “American Academy of Pediatrics” has recommended that no more than 2 hours of screen time for school kids & absolutely no hours for kids under 2 years. However, they have now updated their guidelines to reflect the realities of today’s digital age. (Quoted From American Academy of Pediatrics).
The parents who used to push their kids to get away from laptops are now pushing them to sit in front of the laptops. Why? Because schools are conducting online classes. And why schools are conduction online classes because if they don’t, the parents will not pay the fees. Whether a 5,6,7-year-old is understanding anything in the online class or not, that does not matter? Is the teacher able to control kids, that does not matter? Are kids learning or gaining anything from that 3 hours of screen time, that does not matter? What matters is that the online mode of business should also create an equal amount of transaction be it providing the same value to the kids or not, that does not matter.
While taking admission the schools always show these big classrooms, A.C. school campus, lush green fields, and other extracurricular activities which the child would learn in their school. And upon showcasing everything comes the fees structure. And, the fees include all the amenities mentioned above. But, now when things have shifted online, the fees is still the same.
We understand that it is a tough time, but isn’t it tough for everyone. Well, we understand that there are some minimum expenses that are required to be made to run any organisation. But, minimum, isn’t it. Why does the school authorities never come up and ask directly that this is the minimum amount that we need to run the system and please pay this much at least? Why the innocent class teachers are made responsible to take care of the kids and as well as the collection of the fee? And parents are left with no option but to pay.
Well, this is a wonderful time for parents to analyse one thing that the school which they have opted for their kid and which promised to be caring for their kid. Is it really caring or do they only care about their business called education?
