Parents hesitant to start virtual playschool for children

Many parents fear that this would cause more screentime for young children. “My daughter’s school suggested having an online Instagram live class. They would give her daily activities. It goes against everything the school would tell us otherwise - to restrict gadget use and online time. Moreover, parental supervision is required for the same, and both my husband and I have work to attend to during the morning class hours,” said a concerned parent, whose child is in Class 1.

Parents note that activities like dancing and craft, which would be the crux of the lessons, could be recreated by parents at home without the need for lessons. Additionally, the provision of extra equipment like phones or laptops might be difficult for those working from home.

“Children at such a young age have no reason to be attending school with such urgency, as parents can take care of the basic education at home. By having these classes, schools are validated to ask for the fees, which must be their objective to sustain during the shutdown,” said Vidya Pinto, a concerned parent.

The question now is would these classes be effective and some teachers disagree. “Virtual classes are difficult as children can get distracted very quickly. Streaming platforms do not allow us to check in on the students effectively nor coach them well unless parents are also available. It can be very chaotic at times,” said a kindergarten teacher in a private school.

Some activity centres have taken a firm stance on this issue and stated that they will not hold virtual classes. One such institution is the Jhoola Activity Centre, situated in Nanganallur.

“We believe in a gadget-free childhood. The shift to virtual opposes this fundamental policy of ours. It is difficult to keep our rented space, and parents have said that online classes are not conducive due to their work restrictions. I believe that children need to learn through play and emotional education, and the virtual classes cannot hope to replicate that in-person atmosphere,” said Deepika Arun, founder of Jhoola, adding that the school will shut down for the near future due to these issues.