‘Distance Learning Was of No Use to My Child’

Q: Are you sending your child to school? Are you facing any issues regarding their studies?

Parent: Yes, my child goes to the government school in the village. The biggest problem is that children don’t want to go to school anymore because schools were closed for one year.

The teachers in the school are also careless. They have said that they can’t do anything if the child does not want to come to the school. It is a difficult task to send my child to school.

I have heard that, in neighbouring villages, teachers go door-to-door to ensure children come to the school. However, none of this is happening in my village.

Q: What are the precautions that are being taken in the school for teachers and children?

Parent: I don’t know about the teachers, but a mask was given to my child from the school. He is also wearing it everyday. Two masks were supposed to be given; he only received one.

Q: Are there any remedial classes planned for the children?

Parent: I am a woman who is economically weak, and I belong to the Scheduled Caste category. I don’t even have a mobile phone. Therefore, distance learning was of no use to my child. I don’t know about the remedial classes. I don’t know what the teachers will do and what they won’t.

This interview was conducted with a Parent in Gaya, Bihar in Hindi on 4 March 2021, and has been translated.