Panelists during Times NIE Hyderabad’s first ‘principals’ webinar’ held on Saturday said staggered reopening of educational institutions, reduced curriculum and blended learning are the way forward for the education sector in the state during the pandemic.

Former Union secretary of health and family welfare, K Sujatha Rao; secretary of Telangana Residential Educational Society RS Praveen Kumar; and commissioner of collegiate and technical education in Telangana Navin Mittal were the panelists on the webinar which was sponsored by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd in association with Roots Degree College.

Strongly advocating reopening of schools in a staggered manner, K Sujatha, said: “School-going students are less likely to be vulnerable to Covid19 than elderly people. Schools can commence classes, provided they take precautions.”

Meanwhile, Kumar gave some key suggestions on reopening of schools. He added, “Teachers with no co-morbidities can start taking classes. We should initially bring in students between class 5 and class 8. The number of students can be reduced to maintain social distancing.”

Mittal said, “Curriculum must be integrated with technology. Covid-19 has given government an opportunity to transform with the times.”

Meanwhile, earlier, according to a survey conducted by the Telangana State United Teachers’ Federation (TSUTF), it was found on online classes about 39.6 percent families in the state do not have smartphones. One smartphone was available with 48.9 percent families and only 7.4 per cent families have two smartphones for two children.

Besides, 14.8 percent families do not have even a cable TV connection to allow their children to watch lessons on government educational channels and only 36 percent schools have TV sets among which 10.4 percent of the schools’ TV are not in usable condition.

Source: Times of India

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