When the Karnataka government gave the green signal for high school, pre-university and degree colleges to conduct classes on campus, students, especially those from lower income groups or living in rural areas, heaved a sigh of relief. A majority of them had been at a disadvantage during the lockdown as they did not have access to smartphones, laptops or tablets, or a reliable internet connection.
However, resumption of classes in schools has not bridged the digital divide, as lectures and teachers continue to send notes, study material and assignments via email or on social messaging platforms.
Shivalinga, who studies in a government pre-university college in Mysuru, said that although it had been over a month since classes on campus began, lecturers continue to rely on online tools. “I initially did not have a phone as it is not permitted to have mobile phones in my hostel. But it became very difficult for me as I had to stay back after class and ask my friends who had phones to share the study material. It is time-consuming to write down everything manually,” he said.
According to students, teachers have to complete teaching the syllabus and do not want students to spend time in the classroom copying notes. Several school teachers admitted to sending study material and notes online to make up for lost time.
H.M. Sithara, Bengaluru district president, All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), said that more often than not, the notes are sent as PDF files. Lecturers are trying to cover six topics in three hours. “Prior to the pandemic, the same lesson plan would be covered in six hours. In schools and PU colleges, they have cut the syllabus, but in engineering and degree colleges, lecturers still need to cover the entire curriculum,” she said.
Degree colleges re-opened in a phased manner from November 17.
T.M. Manjunath, president, Karnataka Government College Teachers’ Association, said that teachers simply do not have the time to dictate notes. “In 90 working days, we get around 70 classes per subject. We need to complete the syllabus, conduct tests and seminars, and assess students. It is not possible for lecturers to dictate notes, but they are doing everything they can to help students. We need to finish portions for this semester for all intermediate semesters by March 20,” he said.
