The Trend Of Online Classes In J&K

Banday Abid Shafi Misbahi
The covid-19 scare is increasing day by day, the life of a common man continues to suffer badly. As the whole world is observing lockdown in order to maintain social distancing to decrease the spread of the deadly pandemic. People are staying inside homes. The people who have contacts with the positive cases or have travel history to the affected place are sent to quarantine centers. The economy and other fields have suffered a huge loss worldwide, there is huge loss of human lives also. The later being irreparable. The student community has suffered and is still suffering a huge loss. As the schools and colleges have been closed following lockdown since last 20 days. Back in Jammu and Kashmir where all forms of educational institutions were closed post 370 abrogation in August 2019 for atleast 8 months . There was no class work in any school or college of the valley throughout that lockdown period. The then state now UT of Jammu and Kashmir has also suffered an irreparable loss in education sector as the lockdowns was a part of normal life. The education sector also suffered post flood period which hit Jammu and Kashmir in 2014 , leading to closure of all institutions in the valley. As of now, when whole country is fighting against Covid-19 and lockdown is the only way to break the chain of spread, as there is no medicine discovered yet to treat the disease. Lockdowns besides all sectors have damaged the education sector badly in the whole country particularly in J&K. The lockdowns may extend because the number of cases rise with each passing day. The internet is the only source through which further loss to education sector might be saved.
the speed is limited to 2G, which hampers the vary spirit of students and teachers. Because it is not possible to go with this speed to conduct classes through video calling at this low speed. In order to save the student fraternity in particular and other sectors in general the government will have to take an early call on restoration of high speed internet facility in Kashmir valley so that the community can be saved from further losses.
Every school, college have started their online classes , and teacher community taking each and every possible step to get connected to their students in order to interact with them to achieve their education goals. There are number of ways which are currently in use for educating the pupil through online modes. YouTube, Zoom video meeting App, WhatsApp, conference calling, Google Classroom, and other platforms are being utilised in order to reach out to students. The use of this medium for study purpose is being highly appreciated by parents, civil society and student as well as teaching fraternity. But in Jammu & Kashmir there was internet blockade post 370 abrogation in August2019 which still continues. No doubt it was partially restored in the month of December but the speed is limited to 2G, which hampers the vary spirit of students and teachers. Because it is not possible to go with this speed to conduct classes through video calling at this low speed. In order to save the student fraternity in particular and other sectors in general the government will have to take an early call on restoration of high speed internet facility in Kashmir valley so that the community can be saved from further losses.
(The author is a Nursing Research Scholar. Views are his own, bandayaabid&gmail.com)