Education post-Covid, a great challenge for students

PC THOMAS

Coronavirus pandemic has influenced a huge number of young students all over the world and India is no exemption to this. All educational institutions are now wrestling with the consequences and are desperately looking for solutions for the difficulties faced by the pandemic.

When the lockdown was declared, schools, which had already incorporated E-learning platforms, could grasp the change rapidly and adjust to the new circumstance. They are connected with the students and parents through the E-learning modules and guaranteed adaptive learning process. For schools, the major challenge was to ensure acceptance of the new normal by the parents and the students. In the whole process, there have been challenges and issues; yet the parents accepted the change. Numerous parents have opted to become co-learners to facilitate the e-learning acquaintance among their children.

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The present pandemic circumstance has upset the whole educational framework, requiring revamp of the whole educational curriculum. When one looks at the current situation, it would appear that this situation may stay for quite a long time. It is admirable, however, that different government bodies and educationalists across the country are moving in the direction of discovering available resources to assist students to keep on their learning cycle while they are safe and secure at home.

In this COVID-19 time, the clear focus of educational institutions will be on modernizing technology and capacity building to provide a profound learning experience online. While each person and organization enthusiastically looks forward to the situation to normalize, it is significant for the schools to continue the learning process smoothly. Digital learning is the way forward as a significant aspect of the education system and it is time to accelerate the usage of technical tools to ensure proper delivery of lessons. For this, at least every student must have access to high-speed internet, even those who are living in isolated areas. For students who are not sufficiently equipped with basic technological tools and skills, watching pre-recorded remote learning classes will be baffling as well as frustrating.

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However, the current situation has given an open-door for the digital transformation of the education framework and the future will witness not only virtual classrooms but also parent-teacher interactions on virtual platforms. As the community of educationists pushes forward adjusting to the new normal, there will be some difficulties that they have to face.

A more urgent need is to address the mental health issues emerging from this pandemic among students and prepare them to grasp the new situation and provide them care, sympathy, appreciation, and resilience that are necessary to face the future.

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Looking at the above points, schools and educationists today need to make an effort to reduce the negative impact of the current scenario on the young minds. It is time for them to renew the system while adjusting to the new normal.  They also have to explore other practical alternatives to continue with the delivery of education in order to remain relevant and prepare the students for the future.

This article published in Metro Vaartha on 29.9.20

 

Will local reservation strengthen the unity of India?

 PC THOMAS

While the COVID-19 pandemic is aggravating the economic crisis, an already emotional issue of job reservation is brought to spotlight in Madhya Pradesh. On Tuesday, 19^th August, the Honorable Chief Minister Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that all government jobs in the State will be reserved only for the “children of the State”.

While reading the news, I remembered a story in the Bible. In the New Testament of the Bible, we read in St. Mathew’s Chapter 15, verse 21- 28 the story of a “Canaanite Woman’s hope”.  Jesus was going off to the territory near the cities of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman who lived in that region (local) came to Jesus and said “Son of David, Sir” she begged. “Have mercy on me, my daughter is possessed by a demon and is in a terrible condition” she cried. To test her faith, Jesus made an apparently humiliating statement. “I have been sent only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel” – “It is not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs” (that means Jesus is not bound to help a non-Jew). But the woman’s answer was even more powerful.  She answered “That is true Sir, but even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their master’s table”. Jesus was amazed at her faith and said quickly “You are woman of great faith! What you want will be granted to you” And that very moment her daughter was healed!

I do agree that adequate reservation must be given to the children of the State by the respective state governments. At the same time, MP Government has to bear in mind that people from other states living in MP are also contributing to the development of Madhya Pradesh.  Last year, the Kamal Nath government had directed industries in Madhya Pradesh to provide 70 pc reservation to people from the state. In July, the Haryana government promulgated and ordinance reserving 75 pc jobs in the private sector for local people. And, on August 5, the Telangana cabinet approved a policy to reserve 60 pc of skilled jobs and 80 pc of unskilled jobs for the people of the state in the new industries. Read more PC Thomas Article

M.P government has to take into account the current insecurities of all people arising from the jobless situation, especially in the midst of the spread of corona-virus pandemic. Job is needed for all people of India for their survival whether they are sons of the soil or not.

In line with the wish expressed by the Canaanite Woman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s government should reconsider its decision and reserve only 80 pc of government jobs to the children of Madhya Pradesh and leave 20 pc to the people from other states. All Indians are the sons and the daughters of Mother India whether they are born in one geographical area of India or the other. Like Covid-19, hunger affects everyone without any distinction or discrimination! If all the State governments follow the policy of reserving 100 pc jobs only for the people from their States, it can lead to tensions and conflicts among the different States of India and the unity and integrity of India could be adversely affected.

Moreover, a particular State may not have adequate number of skilled persons or experts in a particular field and some other State may have excess of experts or skilled persons in that particular field. In that case a policy of reserving hundred percent jobs for the sons of the soil will be harmful to both the States. From the perspective of the holistic development of India and the unity of the nation, hundred percent job reservation for the sons of the soil is not a bright idea.  – Stay Updated with Best Blog PC_Thomas

Covid-19: Alarming situation on the employment front!

PC THOMAS

The employment sector in India is facing the brunt of the global pandemic that is jeopardizing the future of employers and employees. Loss of jobs has aggravated the problem as most employment sectors from lower economic backgrounds.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, millions of Indians have lost their jobs and keep on stressing as the pandemic circumstance in India appears to exacerbate. But, even as rising coronavirus cases and unpredictable lockdowns undermine India's business recuperation rate, the recent official data came into the light on new jobs in July gives another ray of hope.

As per data released by the Centre for Monitoring India Economy (CMIE), there had been further advancement in job situation in July and a further decrease in the joblessness rate. Urban employment openings are also on the rise. While the gain in July has not been any place close to June, however, there has been an improvement in job numbers. The CMIE research organization earlier forecast a fall in the employment rate in July.

In the last weekend July 19, the urban employment rate recuperated to 35.1-percent, which is the   most elevated rate after the maximum fall in April. According to CMIE, the rate had expanded to 34.5-pc in the week ended June 28, but decreased to 33.2-pc in the first week of July. From the past week, more employments are being included in urban India landscape which brings something relief to millions of individuals who are still searching for a job in a fairly lukewarm market. Essential services and service sector jobs have additionally hurled on different job portals like Noukari.com. Because of the sharp ascent in cases, the situation keeps on staying uncertain; most experts anticipate a sharp angular recuperation in employment if the trend continues.

Set aside from the statistics of CMIE, however, it is obvious that a damaging impact on an economy as large as India's caused due to a complete lockdown cannot be overemphasized. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), a leading industry association of India, earlier in April released its finding that 100-million and more Indian Jobs are at risk after COVID-19 lockdown.  Therefore, how the economists and entrepreneurs react the issue on employment is still in the realm of speculation like the forecast of Metrological department – “there is chance of heavy rain and NO rain today”.

Social distancing brought about employment misfortunes, explicitly those Indian society’s lower financial layers. Numerous households terminated domestic help services – basically an unorganized monthly-paying service. Most Indians invested a large amount of time involving in household tasks themselves, making it the most widely practiced lockdown action.

As a matter of fact, these are the nervous times for job hunters amid pandemic, particularly for newbie entrants into the rat tap cage. But not getting a job is not the end of the world.  In the situation of crisis, there still lie many opportunities. Many would not get their dream jobs or big pay-perks straight out of the gate, yet given time, they can rethink themselves and set themselves for a better long term future. This article published in Metro Vaartha on 1.8.20- Stay updated with the Best Blog PC Thomas