Mixed reactions mark pause to Karnataka’s Vidyagama initiative

MYSURU: The state government’s decision to suspend the Vidyagama initiative of open-air community classes received mixed reactions from teachers, parents and experts on Saturday. Reports of coronavirus infections among students and teachers prompted the government to take the step.
Basavaraju R Shreshta, executive director of the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement in Mysuru, was disappointed, saying Vidyagama was introduced only after comprehensive deliberations. “Declaring 2020-21 a ‘zero academic year’ for children in grades up to class V and continuing Vidyagama with all health-safety precautions, are the best ways to move forward for the state education department,” he said.
Vidyagama classes were popular in rural pockets where many children don’t have access to technology and the internet. “Let teachers stay in specific areas for a certain period on a rotation basis. This will help minimise the risk of infection,” Shreshta suggested.
Teachers are divided over the immediate future of the programme. “The intention behind Vidyagama is good, but we cannot risk our and children’s lives at a time when Karnataka is reporting around 10,000 Covid-19 cases per day,” said Ramakrishna, a teacher in Bengaluru Rural district.
Chandrasekhar Nuggi, general secretary of the Teachers’ Association, said a number of educators and students had fallen ill. “We had demanded that Vidyagama should be halted as more teachers and students were getting infected. Now that the order has been issued, we urge the department of public instruction to immediately announce Dasara holidays for teachers. The holidays were cancelled earlier because of Vidyagama,” he said.
Satish Jawaregowda, director of the Primary Teachers’ Association, taluk chapter, Mysuru, said there were other problems with the programme. “The areas where teachers went lacked proper toilets and this was particularly an issue for women teachers. Covid-wary residents didn’t allow teachers to use the bathroom in their house,” he said. “Considering all the issues, it is a good move to suspend the programme.”
A section of educators disagrees. Harsha, a teacher from a school near Nanjangud, Mysuru district, said the decision would further widen the gap between students from rural and urban areas. “Covid-19 is a new reality. But there are no good alternatives to Vidyagama, which helped us meet our students and monitor their learning activities,” Harsha said.
Shrinivasa P, whose daughter is a class VII student in Mellahalli village, Mysuru, supported the government’s step. “Under Vidyagama, classes were conducted in open spaces. This was a safety issue for girls. This apart, coronavirus cases are occurring everywhere. We can wait for a year instead of risking our children’s health,” he said.
R Manjunath Srivatsa of Sri Sharada Public School in Mysuru said private institutes didn’t implement the Vidyagama scheme. “It’s very difficult to make kids follow all Covid safety measures. Maybe the scheme should be scrapped and online and television-based learning modules should be followed till we have a vaccine,” he said.