Mental health focus call
Kudos for a well-researched, timely and optimistic cover story ‘10 post-pandemic recovery solutions’ (EW March). These days all we read are stories of gloom and doom and how children will take decades to recover from the learning loss suffered during the world’s longest schools lockdown.

In particular, solution #10 draws my support and appreciation as I believe that children’s mental health and well-being have been woefully neglected in the pandemic years. Given the social stigma associated with seeking psychological counseling, the government must ensure that every child has access to the proposed Child Mental Health Mission. Moreover, as children return to classrooms, school teachers should be trained to provide mental health support and emotional mentoring.
Rajiv Singh, Jaipur

Gap year revelations
Your Special Report ‘Incremental popularity of gap year’ (EW March) was interesting and informative. It was an eye opener especially for middle class households like ours who believe taking a gap year is simply a waste of time.
As I have understood it, the key lies in planning and proper execution of the gap year.
Pranesh T. on email

Teachers irreplaceable
I am a regular reader of EW. With schools reopening across the country, I am sure children are thrilled to return to in-person classes after two years of online learning. I believe face-to-face education is irreplaceable with teachers playing the important role of mentoring children.

A teacher doubles as a friend, counselor and mentor especially in challenging times — not possible in online teaching-learning. Great teachers inspire, guide and challenge their students to realise their potential and succeed in life. To them all, we should be ever indebted.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai

Govt. viewpoint please
As much as I appreciate your cover story (EW March) for drawing up an education recovery roadmap post-pandemic, your solutions are lacking. I expected much more detail. Moreover, I have noticed that most of your cover stories have limited comment from government spokespersons.
Especially when anganwadis and mid-day meals make up the subject matter, it is only fair for government officials to be quoted. This will give your magazine more credibility.
Sandhya Ghose on e-mail

Perhaps because of the Union education minister’s inaccessibility, it’s very difficult to access government spokespersons — Editor

Brilliant innovations
Educator Deep Narayan Nayak’s education initiatives for rural children are inspirational and commendable (People, EW March). Turning walls of village homes into blackboards and roads into classrooms during the Coronavirus pandemic are brilliant innovations with the potential to uplift and educate many underprivileged children.
May your tribe increase!
Sridhar Sharma on email

Change math teaching
In the March issue, I liked reading the EW Research & Analytics feature on Countingwell’s State of Math Learning Report and the reasons for declining maths learning outcomes.
It’s sad that a country which produced math geniuses such as Aryabhatta and C.V. Raman is struggling to get its children interested in maths. We need to change the theoretical and boring way maths is taught and train teachers to teach through experiential methods such as puzzles and games so that children can understand its application in real life.
Himali Sharma, Ludhiana

Online exams appeal
You may be aware that several private autonomous colleges in Mumbai (including Sophia’s and K.J. Somaiya) have taken measures to conduct third year undergraduate degree final exams in the online mode to ensure fair assessment of all their students, including those who live out of town. On the other hand, St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai refuses to conduct online exams.

Students from other colleges who write online exams will undoubtedly fare better. Students of St. Xavier’s will suffer the stiffer challenge of offline exams resulting in a variance in final results. This will directly impact our future.
Kindly publish this appeal to persuade our college administration to fall in line and also conduct online examinations.

Students of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai