Reopening of Schools in Kerala: A Review of the Past Year

It has been a year since the pandemic started. Today we find ourselves back to square one with the active cases versus precautionary measures taken at an alarmingly severe condition. With the universities postponing the significant exams and central boards scrapping them for Class 10 and postponing Class 12, we are left in a state of uncertainty whether schools will reopen in Kerala for the next academic year. Along with it are the concerns of parents regarding the things that their children are missing out on and their worries about their child’s health with schools reopening in 2021. Here are a few misses of an online academic year and how we have evolved to adjust to it.

Labs and Practicals

Most of the students’ learning happens outside of the classroom when they can visualize the concept they learn in real-life situations with practical examples. Thus, labs and practicals become an essential part of their curriculum in teaching interest in the subject, taking an active lead in doing the experiments, and knowing the theory behind it.

Sports

Students tend to relieve the stress caused by the academic load by playing together with their peers doing the breaks and the mandatory Physical Education periods. But with schools closed down, that has come to a standstill with students spending much of their time without any physical activities, thus raising concern over their health.

Group activities

Be it a regional level meet or summer school program; students tend to participate in group events, thus molding their soft skills in managing and working together. The chances of creating excellent peer-level bonding are high when they spend hours working together for the same targets.

Morning Assembly

Every day in an offline school would start with a strict morning assembly with a prayer, national pledge, and national anthem. The morning routine brings discipline to students’ lives and energizes them for the rest of the day with an active march past to the assembly hall and back.

Making it a Virtual Practical

Schools have come up with software and applications where students can use the lab equipment in virtual reality, giving them hands-on experience operating and using the various tools available in the laboratory. Teachers now try to use real and virtual models and presentations while explaining the concept to bridge the gap in the student-teacher interactions.

Sport it up online

Various schools have formulated online health challenges. The students are encouraged to record themselves exercising and post on social media and tag their friends. Fitness streaks give them the incentive to practice every day, thus keeping their body in shape.

Saying Hello to new friends

For new entrants who have not seen the school campus and are in a new environment, interactive sessions are held wherein they share their creative works and showcase their talents. Introduction sessions conducted by various teachers teaching them to help them get acquainted with new friends.

Online Cultural Meets

Cultural activities have successfully been made possible through virtual platforms. Students recording their videos and submitting their artworks online makes the possibility of maintaining the competitive spirit and organizational skills for team works. Students rise to the situation to collaborate for activity over zoom calls and bring out the best of the present scenario.

It might be difficult for us to visualize how schools after corona would look like. But we have made the best out of the situation and learned from our mistakes as we look forward to another academic year.

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