Summary:
Guwahati, Nov 14 (PTI) From facing difficulties in accessing online education due to limited internet coverage to being more exposed to dangers of online trolling, school-goers from different parts of Assam on Sunday deliberated on the challenges thrown upon them by the ‘new normal’.
They also did not fail to highlight the positives that can be derived from the current situation of online classes, particularly emphasising the ample time at hand for reading course materials as well as other books.
The concerns confronting young learners in wake of the restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic were raised by students at a programme organised by UNICEF Assam and Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) to mark the launch of week-long World Children’s Day celebrations in the state on Sunday.
Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary and Chief Executive Officer of GMDA Kausar Jamil Hilaly, among others, were present at the programme.
The children, hailing from different parts of the state like Majuli, Dhemaji, Guwahati and Sivasagar, highlighted that limited or no internet access and non-availability of smartphones or computers have posed a major challenge for the students, especially in rural areas or from economically weaker sections, to pursue their education during the current situation.
They further said the vulnerability of their contemporaries of falling victim to internet pornography or trolling due to overexposure to the internet in the name of studying through the online mode has also increased manifold.