The ongoing Covid situation has had a long-term effect on various fundamental sectors. Education is one of such important fundamentals. All educational institutions remained closed since Chaitra, 2076. It has been 17 months that not a single student has physically appeared in school. Most of the government, community and private institutions decided to move with online classes without a delay after the lockdown was imposed.
Critiques and experts have been subsequently raising questions on effectiveness and practicality of online education system in a country like Nepal. Online education is really a subject of challenge in our country where the development of infrastructures of communications and electricity is still a matter of boon in many parts of the nation.
The question of success of online method of learning and teaching is long prevailed. Now, the management committee of many educational institutions are turning to step forward to run physical classes. The alternative method of teaching and learning did not succeed much as we expected it to be. True that, we can not bear any more losses in education of our future youth, the pillars of the nation. It has become a necessity to run the physical classes with Covid protocols and practicing physical distancing. But most importantly, with proper and prioritized vaccination program to students.
It’s really a time to rise up and get back to our regular ways of receiving education, of course carrying with us the “new normal”. Besides, experts have suggested that long time exposure of students to devices and screens might affect their eyes and brain functioning. They have been strongly advising to resume the physical classes.
Various local level administration and municipalities inside and outside the valley have been finding ways, consulting experts to reopen educational institutions physically and some have already resumed their classes. For instance, Education Committee of Gokarneshwor Municipality, Kathmandu has given permission to run both government and private schools with proper precautions and following Covid-19 health protocols looking at the infrastructures of educational institutions from Bhadra 15, 2078.
Similarly, District Covid Crisis Management Committee, Dhanusha have also decided to conduct physical classes for students studying in class 6 and above.
Biratnagar Metropolitan City also conducted a meeting with experts and stakeholders focusing their discussion on how to reopen educational institutions and run physical classes. It has formed a seven-member committee to prepare a working module for management and running of schools and colleges under the coordination of Krishna Bhattarai, education officer, Education Administration Office, Biratnagar, Morang.
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