Dear Teachers, parents and students,
Welcome to the New Year 2021!
Let us hope that this year is full of positive promises for everyone, especially, for educational institutions and our students.
The Pandemic and the lockdown that followed completely changed the idea of schools. With schools closed for months, e-learning came to the forefront. Our teachers adapted to the new trend, hoping to return to the classrooms soon. It has been 8 months now since the schools have remained closed.Of course the pandemic and the lockdown accelerated the adoption of digital technology. It provided a chance to develop new and improved professional skills among teachers. But it also reminded us how important face to face interaction is.
It’s now time to begin the New Year 2021 with caution and welcome the unlocking of schools. Though the teachers conducted the online teaching in an efficient and productive manner and ensured learning happened for students I’m sure we have realised that school is not just a place to share knowledge and exams. School is an enmeshment of experiences for students – the eye contact with teachers and fellow students, the company of peers, the solidarity they give each other. This can never be experienced in an online class. In fact a lot of learnings of life for students happen in their physical classrooms with their peers and teachers.
We have long realised that online classes are a poor substitute for classroom teaching. Students have lost their routine, health and the safety that the school provides. Prolonged closure is likely to regress students academically, not to mention the unacknowledged toll on mental and physical health for some.
The good news is that the schools are set to reopen soon! For parents and teachers who are still skeptical about reopening schools we need to remind ourselves that a vast majority of India’s children has been shut out of learning by a marked divide of digital and technological learning.This could lead to lasting consequences of learning difficulties among children.We can return to normalcy only with the willingness of parents and teachers to help students return back to school. To restore and repair learning losses the need of the hour is committed and empowered teachers and parents.
I hope our teachers and parents will gear up to start immediately and our school will soon resound with the cheerful voices of our dear students.
Annie Thomas
Principal & Chairperson