Online education not a substitute for school learning: Manish Sisodia

Online education is not a substitute for school education and its purpose is to keep the learning process moving, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Tuesday.

Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Education Minister, interacted with teachers and parents at a government school in Chirag Enclave to review the online and semi-online education system enforced in view of closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Students are facing huge losses due to the ongoing pandemic. The kind of exposure and growth a child gets while coming to school cannot be compensated through an online medium. Our motive is to reduce the quantum of the loss which students are facing. Therefore, online and semi-online education is the need of the hour," Sisodia said.

"I understand that this situation is not adequate for children's development but our motive right now is to keep the learning process moving. If the parents and teachers along with the 16 lakhs students of Delhi will start praying, we are sure soon we will be able to re-open our schools," he added.

During the review parents suggested the idea of conducting PTMs through video conferencing so that they can also share their concerns with the teachers.

Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. A nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which came into effect the next day and threw economic activities out of gear, rendering many homeless and penniless and leading to an exodus of migrants to their home states.

While the government has largely eased restrictions, schools and colleges continue to remain closed.