Suicidal tendencies in Children should be tackled

PC  THOMAS

It is shocking to read the news that 66 children and teenagers under the age of 18 have committed suicide in Kerala since March 25, a day after the nationwide lockdown was announced to contain COVID-19.

What is causing the adolescent lives to be so hopeless that there is no ray of hope ahead in their life? Is it is because of the indefinite length of school opening or the inability to see their classmates and teachers, or is it mere loneliness or depressed state of mind? Or is based on the reason that parents rebuked children for not attending online class, or not allowed them online games or due to problems in families and substance abuse by parents?

Though the reasons for the suicides are varied,  it is believed that the lockdown has triggered emotional strain among children as they are not getting to close together with their peers at school which remain closed in the wake of the pandemic. In addition, there may be declining interest in friends, activities, or hobbies previously enjoyed,  domestic issues, lack of parental concern, poor communication between parents and child, parent’s improper way of dealing with the errors committed, that pave the way in spiking the number of suicides among children. 

According to the latest survey conducted by Child Right and You (CRY), the lockdown period resulted in an increase in the relationship between children and parents. At the same time or in contrast, many parents report that their child became more nervous, anxious and short-tempered during the lockdown!

Obviously, due to lockdown, since children cannot go to school, or out of play, they are in tedious emotions and getting bored to tears.   Also, for many families, lack of money and too much debt experienced as the biggest financial constraints due to job losses, salary cuts, etc during this time of Covid, which might have created a chance for more possible parent-children clashes.

However, raising serious concern over the matter, the chief minister of the state asked parents to ensure a happy and peaceful environment at homes. He asked them to take more care of the children who are now devoid of school or college friends.  In view of the situation, the Student Police Cadet project is going to launch a telephonic counseling programme called ‘Chiri’ (Laugh) to provide relief to students facing mental pressure. The project is intended to strengthen students’ commitment towards their families and community along with enabling them to resist negative tendencies like substance abuse, deviant behavior, intolerance and other social evils.

Looking to the current complicated situation of children and families there are some schools that also have come up with on-line counseling sessions that help children cope up with the stress. Obviously, school and teachers can play a vital role as online schooling is on the way of new education.

It is praiseworthy now that the government of Kerala takes the decision to investigate the cause of the child's suicide and provide tele-counseling for the needy to help tackle suicidal tendencies in children. Besides, it would also be a good idea for teachers to set aside some time between online classes to teach a lesson on improving mental health to children and parents as well. Let the children realise that life is not about ending yourself, it is about moving forward.
This Article published in Metro Vaarthha on 14.7.2020

Major Challenges Facing Online Education Today

GREESHMATHOMAS

The crisis that Coronavirus created has led to major changes in the education system in many countries. The most significant move is the change of the traditional way of teaching in which students are taught in classrooms meeting teachers face-to-face. Although a lot has been discussed on the impact COVID-19 has had on the economy, employment, and the environment, how the pandemic is currently affecting different stakeholders of the education system and how they are responding to it, needs serious concern today.

While online classes are an effective substitute for the Covid situation, there is one major concern as to how effective the online education is going forward. Although the digital teaching system is considered a temporary one that will fade with the lifting of the lockdown, it is likely to become permanent in the future.

Accordingly, there is an expected change in the curriculum and time of learning in schools all over India. Union Human Resources Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has lately said that he plans to reduce the syllabus and the schedule of classes in schools for the next academic year after consultations with the education secretaries. He has also sought comments and observations from teachers and experts in this regard. However, the central government is now considering opening schools in August or so and it is hoped that by that time the outbreak of covid-19 disease will be brought under control.

In the midst, a large number of wealthy parents are looking for ways to organize online learning for their children.  As a part of this, they are trying to secure those laptops and mobiles that are the best to suit their children’s needs. On the other side, we recently read the sad news from Kerala that a girl committed suicide due to a lack of access to online learning.  Our digital education system road ahead should not ignore the fact that many such poor students still exist in our country and do not have access to digital educational programmes for want of internet access. At the same time, the urgent need is also to consolidate the procurement of technical amenities for all to be intensified.

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 or live online classes   will be baffling as well as frustrating for them.

The curriculum and learning platform must be designed in such a way that it does not adversely affect the quality of education from primary level to higher secondary level. Governments and educational thinkers must look at this need positively and scientifically.  

This Article published in Metro Vaartha on June 6, 2020

Reducing Syllabus: A Great Relief for Students

GREESHMA THOMAS

A woman had a pet dog and one day it fell sick. To save the dog, every day she attempted to give a tablespoon of medicine down its throat, yet the dog would always resist and pull away. One day when she took the bottle, it slipped out her hands and the medicine spilled all over the floor. To her surprise, the dog went over to the puddle and began lapping it up! In fact, here, the dog had not been resisting to take the medicine. It was resisting the strategy that its master had used– pushing it down its throat.

It is a similar situation when we consider the pedagogy used in our schools. If heavy subjects, other educational burdens along with parental compulsion and peer pressures are push into children’s throat in the name of educational therapy, many of the students will not be able to absorb them and they will resist and vomit it, especially now, as  they are  in the pandemic situation.

During this Covid-time,  when students, teachers and parents are all  in a crisis situation, the decision of the CBSE to reduce the syllabus for classes 9 to 12  by 30-percent this year, seems as a right strategy due to the trouble caused by the COVID-19. It will certainly elevate students’ to a happy frame of mind to study with earnestness.

The CBSE in their process of trimming down about 190 subjects for classes 9-12, cut various key chapters like secularism, democratic rights, religion, gender and caste and food security, which create now a major controversy by some people. However, there was a mixed response from various stakeholders as many school representatives welcomed the move to decrease the course load on children, while a section of academicians said it appeared to be ideologically driven.

Amidst arguments, however, let us realize that education came to bring life and light to people who have no vision or right vision of life. But so often, as we have seen in the above story, we use the wrong method to force our expectations down students’ throats instead of presenting it in such a way that they will willingly receive it.  Parents also often make wrong decisions in their eagerness to give the best opportunities for their children by giving unwanted compulsion in study down their throat. What children should realize is that they are the ones responsible for their own learning, homework as well.

With the CBSE’s decision by reducing the heavy burdens for students at this juncture of Corona crisis, it is necessary to teach the students the values of secularism, democratic rights, religion, culture as well as the evils of gender and caste discrimination. While reducing the syllabus, these lessons must find some place in the syllabus, maybe in a shorter version.  Our first priority today is to save our world from the coronavirus crisis and to look for ways to revitalize the economy, and our lives, after this major crisis. Let the students now go for enjoying the education with discerningly reduced syllabus and freedom! 

The Feast of the Apostle Saint Thomas

PC  THOMAS

On July 3, the Church honors the solemn feast of St. Thomas the Apostle.  The auspicious occasion marks the remembrance of the patron Saint Thomas who was among the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ who appears in the gospel.   He is the closet follower of the Christ, having doubts about Jesus. His disbelief helps us understand how important the gift of faith is.

The Gospel of John records three statements of St. Thomas that gives glimpses of his character.  First when Jesus desires to go to Bethany, bordering Jerusalem, the other disciples try to prevent him from going, since he was almost stoned there for claiming kinship with God.  Thomas, however, sticks by Jesus, and says, ‘Let us go that we may die with Him’ (John 11:16), which shows Thomas’ courage and his commitment to Jesus.

Second, when Jesus announces his imminent death and assures his disciples that he will prepare a place for them, he adds, ‘You know the way to the place where I’m going’.  Thomas answers candidly, ‘Lord we do not know where you are going, then how can we know the way?’(John 14:15). This prompts Jesus to reply, ‘I am the way’.

The third statement sees in John 20:23, which caused Thomas to be remembered as the ‘Doubting Thomas’ It reads:- On the evening of Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas was not with the other disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, so he was not present when Jesus appeared to them and showed them the wounds on his hands and his side.  Later, the other Apostle told Thomas. ‘We have seen the Lord’ (John 20:25) when Thomas uttered, ‘unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the holes and lay my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).

A week later, Jesus again came to the Apostle.  After wishing them peace, Jesus called Thomas and told him to look at his hands, put his finger into the holes and to touch his side. Thomas was grieved that he had doubted Jesus’ resurrection.  He cries out: ‘My Lord, My God’.  Then Jesus said, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”.

The surrender of Thomas ‘My Lord and my God’ is the clearest affirmation of the divinity of Christ that any of the apostles ever gave.  This, then, is the substance of the Thomas’ faith:- he believed and proclaimed the divinity of Christ, and became a devout defender of the faith something which none of the other apostles had yet done.  This is the great example today for many of us because we doubt. We honour St. Thomas as Saint, he is considered to be the Patron Saint of India. His life teaches us to trust in everything the Lord has promised us so that we, the faithful can rise to new life, as Jesus did. This  article published in Metro Vaartha on July 3, 2020

Grass is always greener on other side

PC  THOMAS

In a landscape, once I happened to observe two donkeys grazing in two different fields, separated by fencing. Tender, green grass grew abundantly in both the fields.   Yet both the donkeys stretched their necks as far as possible towards the opposite direction through the fence just to be able to get a bite of that forbidden grass on the other side.  It revealed to me that the old saying, ‘The Grass is always greener on the other side’, or the forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest.

We humans have the same tendency. We get more attracted to things, talents, abilities or opportunities which others have than our own.    We people are never satisfied even with the abundance we have.  We always find the others are far better, their conditions seem more greenish or attractive to our eyes –   the neighbor’s wife, the friend’s sports car, boss’s beauty bungalow, higher life sep-up of others and so on. See more- PC Thomas Article

On the other side, these things which we think will make us happy, but when we get it we may feel empty and unsatisfied. Our freedom, lifestyle and relations, friendships and bonds, health and situation etc we enjoy daily, which we take for granted simply because they have been in our lives every day. We take a lot of emotional stability to be content with what we have.

This is not mean to say that we should not diligently seek to improve our circumstances, diligently using our God-given talents and opportunities.  But we should not be discontent with the gifted talents that God has given to us and don’t try to covet anything belong to others.  The key to a happy life is being content with who we are and where we are right now. Real contentment does not come when we get everything that we desire, but when we learn to be satisfied with what we have.  

When we have the conviction that we are living according to the best of our abilities and hard work, and believe that our best efforts will be fulfilled by the God in time; our desire to graze on what is beyond the fence will automatically cease and then the grass out of boundaries would not seem more greenish to our eyes.

This article published in Metro Vaartha on  July, 1, 2020

E-learning challenges pushed or pulled?

GREESHMA THOMAS

Coronavirus attack has split a large portion of India's education and turned upside down the life of students, teachers and parents. As per reports, more than 150 crores students overall the world can't go to school or college, as the fight against this deadly virus brought the world to a halt.  However, this pandemic has made all the educational institutions over the planet to take up educating on the digital divide.

While the students are left with no option other than virtual learning now, many children of primary standard say that they lack a conducive environment or necessary gadgets in their homes to create an online platform. Many children have complained about having no access to the internet, laptop and mobiles, and have raised their issues with their schools too. If there is one mobile or laptop at home, they say, it might be used exclusively by the parents who are working from home as well.

At the same time, the parents have been much worried about not being able to deal with their children’s academics and their work together.  In addition, many people are stressed as they have lost their jobs and run their lives out of limited savings or by borrowing money.

The wealthier parents also face trouble in setting up an e-learning platform at home, and dealing with the timely stress and difficulties of their children. It is also difficult for them to manage their children’s activities between their own official works and household works. However, most of the wealthier parents feel comfortable with technology and hope that this is a temporary difficulty that will fade with the lifting of the lockdown and the reopening of schools, while teachers are at pains to make their classes interesting and creative for children after the opening of schools.

As millions of students around the world struggle to study at home, it remains to be seen how teachers and the educational institutions will deal with the new reality of learning at home.  Governments all over the world are making efforts to alleviate the impact of school closures and to make possible the continuity of education for all through remote learning.  

What is in store for us tomorrow? What we think about it is entirely in our own hands.  Change is inevitable even in the digital era. In the midst of the new situation created by the pandemic, it is the duty of parents to keep children engaged in activities at home wherever possible, in their usual routines in line with their learning. This will support their wellbeing, connection with others and their learning to match with the digital push. Regardless of whether we utilize the opportunities vis-à-vis the current pandemic time, it will pass by. Better that we navigate correctly in our journey for our bright future and for a better world tomorrow.

This article published in Metro Vaarth on 29.6.2020

Preparing Children to face Pandemics

This Covid-time is an unprecedented situation for all and has ripple effects into almost every phase of our lives. In the midst, children are the most vulnerable because of their increased exposure to the background to disease. In their tender heart, they experience a state of worry, anxiety and fear of their relative’s death and miseries or a fear of what it means to receive medical treatment for all.

Anxiety and panic about the virus and what could happen can be irresistible and cause strong emotions in children. Public health protocols such as social distancing can make them feel isolated, secluded and can increase them more stress and anxiety. However, children should realize that these precautionary actions are essential to decrease the spread of COVID-19 and managing the stress in a positive way will make people healthy and his community stronger.

It is quite difficult to determine the horrible impact of the virus spread on children be it emotional, health, education, and many other ways. Due to the uncertainty of COVID situation, children tend to develop short-temper and anger. Considering the risk to the children, the healthcare workers across the world have been warned to be more cautious for the patients under the age group of less than 18. Though every year of a child's life is valuable, their primary stage or the first ten years are very crucial because the basics of emotional, social, physical and psychological development are laid down at this stage.  

Staying out of school for more than three months has made children restless and reduced their physical activities. The social distancing has made them lonely and irritable in this crisis because they are not getting to visit their granddads, extended family members, and go for family tours as they used to enjoy during their last summer vacation.

Many experts have concluded that expression of Covid-19 is diverse as children are in constant emotional tumult. However, the parents are the caretaker of love,  care and positive thoughts to their children but in the present crucial time, parents are too busy in their own official backlog and finding less time to be with their children.  However, the adherence of being indoors has made pressure on children to be more disciplined and occupied themselves with screen-TV, computer, laptop, and mobile - either for online education or entertainment and play.

It is said that the future of tomorrow is laid on the hands of children, but they can shape the future only if their own future is secured. Therefore, it is important to pay special consideration to the children in the present times of COVID so as to keep them safe and sound.  It is also important that they must be occupied in physical, music, Yoga and other recreational activities to become active and dynamic. Their anxieties and concerns related to the pandemic must also be addressed through proper communication. There is a need that all the important counselors like teachers, parents, social workers act jointly to cope with the challenge posed by COVID-19.