Schools have reopened, what next?
By: Rayees Ahmad Kumar
Educational institutions across length and breadth of valley reopened last month after a hiatus of more than two months. It was indeed a moment of joy and excitement both for the parents as well as their wards who were eagerly waiting to step in the school premises for appearing in their term 2nd exams for the first time in their academic history.
Both at administrative and institutional level, optimum arrangements were made to welcome the students on the very first day of school reopening. District education officers of some valley based districts ordered to celebrate the first day as the day of happiness to lessen the fear, scare and threat among the students especially the pre-primary students.
Air filled balloons were decorated on the school gates, desks and exam halls were kept ready for the examinees and sweets and candies were distributed among the learners to give them a newer experience on the opening day of the new March April session. Children too were thrilled to enjoy the day at school after a long break.
Now some solid questions which strike the minds of common masses are – would the teachers help the students in learning newer concepts and topics in a joyful manner? Would they continue to be vibrant as seen on the reopening day? Would they bring reformation in their art and method of teaching so that their pupils feel pleased? These questions need not to be merely answered orally instead some concrete steps must be initiated so that the public education sector is choice of the parents for enrolling their kids.
It can’t be denied that teachers alone can’t bring a revolutionary change in the system rather a parent, student and the people at the helm of affairs all have to necessarily work together and play their role in bringing the desirable change in the sector. But a teacher is the main and basic pillar of this sector who can play a significant role to streamline this system.
Thus the main responsibility lies on the shoulders of teachers to infuse new life in the functioning of the academic institutions. After the arrangements have been finalised by the school authorities with regard to holding of term 2nd exams and commencement of the new academic session, the most important and much needed initiative is to improve the academic side of students besides launching of enrolment drives in every nook and corner of the valley to attract a bigger lot to these educational hubs.
As it is rightly said that a school is like a garden, pupils are its flowers and teacher it’s gardener. So in absence of students or very thin population of students this garden turns out to be a desert. Thus keeping this garden ever fragrant it is of utmost importance to add as many new admissions in your school as possible.
This can be ensured by taking a number of constructive steps for the welfare of our children. Framing a balanced teachers time table in which both teacher’s interests and their academic background are given due consideration can be helpful in enhancing the learning levels and capabilities of the students.
It should be done without consuming much precious time of students who will have a new experience of March April session. Otherwise, due to lack of consensus among the teaching staff, framing of timetable at times seems a Himalayan big task.
Teachers need to give a cursory look over the contents of the books/subjects which they have been assigned in the time table which can help them to formulate the strategy both for completion of the syllabus as well as the methodology.
Whenever they face any difficulty or get stuck in the content matter of the books, they must exploit the available manpower and other digital sources to feel themselves comfortable as well as for the larger interests of students. Being continuously associated with only online learning for the last covid years, our children have become rude, arrogant and immorality also has dug it’s roots deep in their behaviour. So it is of utmost importance to build moral values in them and moral teachings during prayer/ morning assembly times can be a better option to make them responsible citizens in future.
Forcing or pressing the students for any assignment during the academic activity can negatively affect their personality and sometimes they may become the victim of depression as well. Teachers must remember that the children are attending the physical classes after a long experience of digital learning which has harmed them more than benefiting them. So every precaution must be taken to make students feel pleased and comfortable in the classroom, which is prerequisite for their productive learning. Use of negative reinforcement must be henceforth discouraged in the post new academic period in order to expect better results in the future.
Through the new academic session students must be made to realize that mere change of the session doesn’t affect their studies rather fruitful results can be yielded when both teachers and students are concerned about their future and teaching learning process is initiated with vigour and enthusiasm.
Students now hardly show any interest in physical activities like games and supports instead they spend most of their spare time in online gaming and vedio watching. It has become a matter of serious concern both for the parents as well as the teachers. To bring children out of this menace, it is the prime responsibility and duty of teachers to act promptly in order to prevent them from becoming the couch potatoes. To develop scientific temper, literary taste and interest for learning among the students, teachers must put the efforts in the right direction. Lastly they must keep in their mind that they draw the handsome salaries from state exchequre mainly for teaching and moulding the minds of students. This can direct them to act wisely and perform their duties with utmost dedication and zest.
(The author is a columnist hailing from Qazigund)
