SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OFFLINE PANDEMIC-TIME CLASSES IN THE INTERIM

 SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OFFLINE PANDEMIC-TIME CLASSES IN THE INTERIM

V. Shruti Devi, 26th April, 2021 (Initially for my Facebook readership)

1. There might be a number of lofty ideas regarding how the education system should work ideally, and we need to strive towards those. In the spirit of "yes we can", let us not assume that everything needs transitions. Lets hope for speedy change in the right direction/s. BUT let us not leave anybody behind.

2. That said, I think it is imperative that any offline (regular) classes with an existing roll of students, that has now been turned online, ought to be allowed ONLY if all the enrolled students confirm that they do have proper and real access to online means.

3. If all enrolled students do not have satisfactory access to online means, then such means would either have to be extended to them for the duration, or other means and combinations of methods of conducting classes must be found.

4. Television, radio, telephones must also be considered. There would be a multiplicity of solutions, depending on the nature of the subject being taught.

5. We have all been aware of this unfolding situation, and it comes to my notice, that in BR Ambedkar Law College, Andhra Pradesh, regular classes have been converted to online classes, leaving some students in the lurch. I've received an email from an enrolled student from an underprivileged background who needs a computer in order to continue studying law and is contactable, there must be thousands of such students across the country and the world. At least INC-ruled states ought to do something about this.