The issue of access to education has once again become a matter of priority ever since schools started shutting down in mid-March. Until then it was said that more than 97 percent children all over rural India have access to school, although about 50 percent in class 5 cannot read a class 2 passage, according to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER). We had successfully created access to classrooms and to input provision of educational processes called schooling, but have not done too well in the area of enabling children to access knowledge and skills. A new education policy that lays down a pathway to a less rigid education system focusing on outcomes has now been announced. It probably reflects the general desire for greater freedom to access knowledge. But before we get there, the current situation deserves a look.
By the end of March, schools in many countries that were experiencing the pandemic had started reopening their schools with caution, while Indian schools had just begun to shut down. As I write this, the Covid-19 situation seems to be coming under control in Delhi and Mumbai, but in other parts of the country the numbers are growing day by day. Yet, businesses are opening slowly and are adjusting to a ‘new normal’.
Schools were shut down in one shot, but reopening them is not going to be as easy. It will be difficult for systems, private or public, to convince parents that schools are going to be safe places to be in. Everyone is going to wait for a vaccine. It is anybody’s guess at this time as to how long things will take to settle down, and for us to figure out a ‘new normal’ for schools. How different it will be from the old normal is a good question to ask.
Denne historien er fra August 28, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
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Denne historien er fra August 28, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet