Ghaziabad: Several private schools in the cityhave shifted to online classes after the district administration ordered all educational institutions to remain closed from Aug 4 to 12 for kanwar yatra. The order applies to primary, upper primary, secondary, CBSE, ICSE, technical, higher education, madrassa and Sanskrit board institutions.Many school principals said they had switched to online classes from Monday as their buses can’t operate due to traffic diversions and road closures on major routes across the district. Cancelling classes altogether, however, is not a feasible option for many private schools. Principals argued that the nine-day closure would further shrink an already packed academic calendar.“The biggest loss is to students. Schools are already struggling to complete the mandated 220 working days because of summer vacations, winter breaks, pollution-related closures and other disruptions. We have shifted all classes online to minimise academic loss, but classroom teaching cannot be replaced entirely. Such prolonged closures inevitably affect syllabus completion,” said Seema Jerath, principal of DLF Public School in the city.A spokesperson for DPSG said online classes were introduced immediately after traffic restrictions affected school transport. “Our buses could not ply on the Ghaziabad-Meerut route because of diversions. Keeping student safety in mind, we shifted to online classes from Monday so that teaching could continue despite the disruptions,” the spokesperson said.The shift to online classes, however, has brought its own set of challenges. Parents said many younger students require supervision during virtual lessons, but working families often have no one at home to assist them during school hours.“My son is in Class 1, and online classes are not really effective for children of this age. They need constant supervision to stay focused, but both my husband and I go to work, so there is no one at home to help him attend classes. Even when he joins, he gets distracted within minutes. A nine-day break from regular classroom learning at the beginning of the academic session is a long gap, and I worry it will affect his routine and learning,” said a parent of a Class 1 student at a private school in the city.Educators pointed out that the arrangement is not feasible for all students, particularly those from economically weaker sections and govt schools with limited access to digital devices and internet connectivity. Some students may not be used to online classes, while others may miss out on important lessons due to connectivity issues.“A week-long shutdown of schools for a religious procession raises an important question about priorities. Online classes may work for students with adequate resources, but what about children studying in govt schools or those from economically weaker families? They simply do not have equal access to digital learning,” a private school principal told TOI.Govt school teachers echoed these sentiments, with one teacher saying, “Foundational learning suffers the most. Many of our students neither have smartphones nor stable internet connections. Online classes are simply not possible for them. When schools remain shut for such long periods, children are left with the impression that festivals take precedence over education.”Parents also criticised the decision. “Working parents are left scrambling to manage childcare, while students, especially those preparing for board examinations, lose valuable classroom time. Online classes are only a temporary arrangement and cannot substitute regular schooling,” said Vivek Tyagi, president of the Ghaziabad Parents Association.
