Lessons through online classes less effective as students struggle to concentrate

Due to the risk of transmission of COVID-19, schools have not started the physical classes yet. This has affected teachers, students as well as guardians since none of them were ready or had prepared for the online class.

Binita Basnet, the founder of 'Epic Preschool', says that they have started the online classes since the government imposed the nationwide lockdown in March 2019.

Online classes could be a big hurdle for prep school and Montessori kids, and also less effective.

Basnet emphasizes, "For a total of three subjects, there are separate online classes each with a duration of 40 minutes. It would have been easier for the teachers to attend physical classes. Kids tend to lose interest very fast, and to keep them involved and entertained, we have varieties of study materials including books and videos, but it is not possible to use during virtual classes."

Ganga Karki, whose four-year-old son is studying at the junior level at Euro Kids says, "Rather than just staying inside the house, it is better to attend classes. They not only study but also get to see other children doing different activities through video which will encourage them to involve in the activities."

Karki, who runs a shop, has to shut her shop to help her son attend virtual classes from 10:00 am till 1:00 pm.

She emphasizes, "It is not easy to make a kid attend classes for that long so, I have to be there to ensure he is concentrating. And at times teachers want us to buy some materials for art and craft lessons, and we have to help our kids prepare them. But since most of the shops are not open it is challenging for us to find some of the required materials."

Basudev Bhatta, Principle of Peace Land Academy, says, "Coronavirus has affected lots of sectors. But in the educational sector, we have been facing some troubling times running online classes. While 20 percent of the students use internet facilities very well — watching educational YouTube videos and also joining virtual classes on time — not all do the same. As it is said, 'Technology is a boon and a bane,' there are kids who do not focus on studies since the teacher is not physically present to guide them. So, they turn off their cameras at times and just do something else rather than studying.

Bhatta explains how his school also sent a notice to the parents to make sure they take care of their child's education.

"Parents should be concerned whether their children are attending the class or not and make sure that they have proper resources like good internet access, and mobile phone or other devices. We have had many cases of students from grades VIII, IX, and X doing bunk. Their parents believed that they would join classes and get busy with their own work, however, the kids do not. There are cases of students not submitting their assignments at the right time and making excuses about not having internet, or electric power. These are some of the challenges our teachers have been facing." He adds.

Since getting access to good internet service and suitable devices are not possible for many of the students owing to various reasons. We cannot say much about their education.

Sachin Adhikari, a sixth-grader at NIC Academy, shares his own experience.

He says, "In physical classes, we get a chance to meet with friends, we can play with them and have two-way communication with the teachers as well. But in online classes, it is very different, he laments, adding, "It is difficult for teachers to handle the class, as most of the students do not even turn on the cameras. So, the teacher has to keep on shouting to those students which also disturbs the whole class."