Mumbai: Parents worried over expensive gadgets, too much screen time

Virtual schooling is turning out to be a huge cause of concern for parents from across sections of the society Several schools in the city have already started their new academic year online and many others are ready to implement it this month However parents are of the opinion that there are a number of issues with the processWhile some cant afford the technology required to support such learning others are worried about excessive Internet exposure and too much screen time Some are also complaining about the soaring prices of electronic gadgetsAffordability an issueShivaji Nagar resident Bharti Makwana who works as a sweeper and maid at a housing society was under a lot of stress when her daughter Roshnis school announced that they would start virtual classes Earlier we had one smartphone at home which my brotherinlaw used but he has returned to his hometown Roshni is now in Std X and she cant afford to lose out on her studies this year Hence I approached the society for help said MakwanaA man and his son walk home after collecting the years academic books at Kandivli on Sunday PicSatej ShindeThe residents of Saujanya Cooperative Housing Society helped raise money for her with which she bought a phone for RoshniSimilarly a mother of two from Kurar village said My son is in Std II while my daughter is studying in Std VII Their school has decided to conduct classes through Google meet from the new academic year We are currently going through a major financial crisis Whatever little savings we have are for medical emergencies We cannot afford to spend money on gadgets and the Internet I prefer my children to stay home for a year if that is what is neededToo much confusionWhile affordability of virtual schooling is a major issue there are other problems parents and teachers are facing like two children in a house with similar school timings small houses presence of other family members and their constant movement across the house and logistics issues in case of teachersAnand Shirali Andheri resident and Mitesh Mody president of the All India Electronics AssociationAndheri resident Anand Shirali explained There is a lot of confusion because this is new for everyone Many parents are not that techsavvy and all teachers are not well trained Thankfully I had a spare laptop at home and my wife and I are technologically sound But there might be parents who would have to completely trust their children for use of such technology Another problem is that the popups and advertisements that come up during these online sessions might lead children to inappropriate sites There is also a huge amount of exposure to the screen My daughter sometimes complains of headacheExpensive gadgetsAnother Borivli resident said I visited a number of electronics shops to buy a tab for my child as online classes begin this week but there was no stock Finally I got one at a shop which was asking for much more than the MRP Hence I decided to wait till the stock gets replenishedSpeaking about this Mitesh Mody president of the All India Electronics Association said There is a huge surge in demand as shops opened up this week Sale of such items has also gone up by 25 per cent especially for tabs as not only are they costeffective compared to laptops but also more user friendly than smartphones As the COVID19 situation has deeply affected the supply chain of electronic items retailers have limited stockExperts speakOphthalmologist and eye surgeon Dr Shashi Kapoor said More screen time does not harm a child more than an adult But as they have to face it now children need to take short breaks every hour keep the screen at a good distance and ensure that the room is well litAdding to this consultant ophthalmologist at Sir H N Reliance Hospital Dr Pooja Deshmukh Chaturvedy said More than two hours of screen time affects anybodys eyes and so it is important to keep the screen at least at an arms length Moreover the user need to follow the 2020 rule which means that after every 20 minutes they should take their eyes off the screen and look at some other object which is far away for 20 seconds Also if a child has been prescribed glasses then heshe should wear it all the timeWhile parents are struggling with issues the state government is adamant on its stand that it is an option to continue academics amid lockdown adding that there cannot be any policy against itCommissioner of Education Vishal Solanki said Online learning should be done by schools where parents are willing and able to participate no parent should be compelled It is cleared under the Right to Education RTE Act At the same time if any school is not doing online learning no parent can pressure the school to do so If there are specific cases we shall take actions For those coming from underprivileged backgrounds the government is designing a plan to use other platforms such as radio and television Those can be used by schools too where students cannot participate in online learning It is advised that once things are back to normal all schools must provide additional time for extra coaching of those who might have missed on academics in this periodCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news