Hyderabad: Online education is likely to continue for another academic year in the state, owing to the current pandemic situation, and in anticipation of a third wave of Coronavirus in the country, government sources told this correspondent.
An official in the state education department said students and parents should be prepared to further adapt to the lack of physical, face-to-face classes at least until the end of this year for the academic session of 2021-22. "Even with the first wave of the pandemic that was only half as deadly as the second wave, educational institutes were not opened in February. As we prepare for a third wave now, online education is the only way," said the official.
The new academic year in the state is so far scheduled to begin from mid-June, once schools reopen after summer vacations on June 1. Some private schools' bodies like the Telangana Recognised Schools' Management Association (TRSMA) are demanding that the government releases an academic calendar soon so as to prepare teachers as well as students in time.
On Monday, the central and state education ministries will hold a meeting to discuss the future of online education and the expenditure required to set up further facilities. Sources told this newspaper that education secretaries of all states, with Union Education Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' and Education Secretary to GoI Anita Karwal will hold an interactive session to discuss how to make online education the priority for all expenditure even under Samagra Shiksha programme.
