Aparna Hegde, a software engineer, has a 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. office schedule. However, during breaks, she watches in real time on mobile phone her three-year-old son’s learning activities at his preschool in Whitefield, several kilometres away from her office on Bannerghatta Road.
With the spotlight on security, many schools have installed CCTV cameras. But some have gone ahead, and are live streaming everything that happens on their premises to parents and guardians.
They say it assures parents that their children’s safety and security are given utmost importance. It also ensures accountability and transparency of the institution. Many parents say this has relieved them of a lot of stress. All that the parents have to do is download the app and log in using the ID provided by the school.
“I like the fact that I can check on my child whenever I want. It makes me less anxious. I can see if he is happy there and what he is being taught,” said Ms. Hegde, adding that the facility is especially useful when her son is unwell.
Tanvi Droila, founder of a preschool and daycare chain, said, “It is a big decision for parents to trust a third party to care for their children and the app is a proof of the assurances made to them by the organisation.” She also said that over time, once parents are convinced of their children’s safety and comfort in the centres, their login time decreases.
Kiran Bhayalan, who runs the Koramangala branch of a national chain of preschools, said the viewership is high during mealtime and playtime, but gradually decreases as parents gain more trust in the organisation.
The chain also offers a ‘No Pay Day’ option, wherein the fee for the day is refunded if parents are unhappy with how their child has been looked after that day.
Not all institutions are in favour of this. Shalini Jaiswal, academic director of a popular pre-school chain, said besides cybersecurity concerns, live surveillance can infringe on the privacy of the child if viewed by those other than parents.
She said parental interference can hinder the teaching process. “Transparency can be increased through open-door policies as well as classroom interaction wherein parents are a part of the classroom activities,” she said.
Gayatri Swaminathan, a psychologist, said extreme involvement in the child’s schooling could lead to interference. “Children have to learn how to manage their own relationships since different people relate to them in different ways. With this facility, parents are more likely to compare their child with other children. This will impact not only the children’s development but also their self-esteem,” she said.
However, Geetha Appachu, a child psychologist, said the live streaming is for the child safety and it should not interfere with teaching. “The right use of this facility should be explained to both teachers and parents in relation to how they ought to deal with the child,” she said.
For senior citizens too
The technology comes handy to ensure the safety of the elderly too. It is being used to monitor senior citizens living alone or staying alone for most of the day.
“I have been using this facility for two years now,” said Lalitha K., who lives in Bengaluru. “My mother insists on living alone. Since I’m always anxious about her safety, I felt this facility was the best way to monitor her movements.”
