Smart phones have become lifelines for schools, and principals and teachers are now trying to help students tackle stress and ideate on innovative best practices.

Private schools in Jamshedpur have agreed not to open before August as cases of Covid-19 are on the rise in the steel city. Schools have decided to use the time to innovate and build on better learning concepts.

Although all private schools have been taking online classes, they ow want to figure out the effectiveness of the lessons and introduce a fun element.

“All schools are organising online classes and teachers are taking tests at intervals. But we don’t know how effective the teaching is on an online platform that has never been in place before the pandemic. Since we have no signs of reopening now, we shall innovate on effective teaching for students using the same platform,” said principal of CISCE affiliated Kerala Samajam Model School Nandini Shukla.

Many schools have taken a 10-15-day break to let students rejuvenate. Teachers and principals agree that while students, teachers and even parents have picked up new technologies, the stress of continuous online classes could lead impacting children psychologically.

Mental health professionals and even doctors admit that anxiety is a common problem along with the very physical problem of impaired vision due to prolonged exposure to computer screens.

The CBSE-affiliated Jamshedpur Public School in Baridih has thus decided to organise webinars and fun sessions for students in the coming months.

The school has taken a study break from May 30 to June 15 after which they will start online classes again with more fun elements.

“We have already developed a module. Though we have been organising online dance sessions and yoga activities, emotional wellbeing is another area we want to touch,” said principal Namita Agarwal.

Bailey Bodhanwala, president of the Association of Jharkhand Unaided Private Educational Institutions of Jamshedpur, said that private schools won’t open before August 1. Till then, schools shall keep imparting education using online platforms.

“We are waiting for an order. Till that time, schools will continue to operate virtually. The government is lifting the lockdown in a phased manner and we don’t think anything will happen before August,” he added.