Rise up to Covid challenge, School Education advisor tells teachers and students

Dimapur, June 2 (EMN): K Tokugha Sukhalu, Advisor of School Education, on Wednesday said that education system has been disrupted since the pandemic began last year, necessitating the shift from conventional in-person classroom methods of learning to online mode “with no preparation and little infrastructure”.

Sukhalu said this in a letter addressed to teachers, students and parents.

While admitting that many are still struggling with the change in mode of learning caused by of network connectivity issues and access to new tools of education, he said that the education department is “committed to ensuring that our education systems are as equitable or more than before the start of the pandemic”.

He encouraged teachers and students, who are facing the brunt of the transition, not to be disheartened but to rise to this challenge. While lauding the teachers, students and parents for adapting to the change, he said ‘much more can be done’.

“The department has prepared lessons for all students but we are aware not all have access to smart phones or computers, directions have hence been given to teachers to stay in station to download these lessons and distribute to the students to ensure that none is left out,” read the letter.

Asking the teachers to stay in station and lauding those performing their duty diligently, he said those facing difficulty in disseminating lessons to students should inform the department so that it could be addressed without delay.

The advisor requested the students to “understand that we are doing our best in the current conditions to ensure that your education can continue with a degree of normalcy and uniformity”.

“These months or years of self application in your education may perhaps equip you with tools that will help you in your future. Education should enable you to live a better life or to better the lives of the people around you and for the generations to come. Education is not the end in itself; it is the means to an end,” read the letter.”

For parents, much of the responsibility of ensuring your child or wards’ education in this pandemic lays on your shoulders, a fact of which I’m certain you are more than aware. I would urge you to continue to put in the extra effort till such time that we are able to resume classroom lessons again. We must all continue to work together to contain the long term effect of the pandemic on our education systems,” it added.

Sukhalu also lauded the frontline workers for their selfless service to the society and extended sympathies to those who have lost their friends and family. He thanked those who have come together to assist the government in the effort toward containing the pandemic.