Manish Sisodia Supports Union HRD Ministry on Schools Reopening Plans

The Deputy Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia writes to Ramesh Pokhriyal, Union HRD Minister on the government’s support for opening schools with reasonable guidelines. 

The official statement enunciates, as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier said that people need to live with the Coronavirus, reopening schools will be the right decision. However, in this case, precautionary guidelines need to be announced as a part of the plan. 

This statement arrives at a point in time when the Union Ministry of HRD is setting elaborate plans for reopening educational institutes. These are closed since the lockdown had been imposed as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The letter discloses that students, irrespective of their age and social class need to be ensured their right to intellectual and physical space. Online teaching can only complement but not replace schooling.

The clamour of opening schools for senior and then younger students needs to be ditched and parents should be brought in confidence through facts and factors.

Quoting studies by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) of attack rates being lower for 0-9 age groups (for every 1 lakh of the affected population), distinct approaches should be taken for early childhood and elementary grades. 

Sisodia wished for a curriculum that prioritises lifelong learning and not just works to complete syllabus for nursery to Class 8. 

He advised CBSE and NCERT to remove rote learning and stranglehold for secondary and senior secondary grades. 

Deeply aware of innovative practices in teaching; technology can amplify its chances. He wishes for a continuous assessment of students instead of Class 10 and 12 static board exams. 

Lastly, he wished for global standards of education to be followed as in Singapore and International Baccalaureate (boards). This will bring about extended reforms in Indian education at the school level.