By Manjima Dhakal, Kathmandu, Apr. 13: More than 7 million school children of the country have been staying at home for about a month with their guardians due to lockdown called by the government to fight against the virus. And schools are likely to be closed for longer time this year though the academic session normally begins from mid-April.

But this year the academic session is unlikely to begin in April. This has worried the guardians as their wards are killing time without studying.

Gyanu Maharjan, a mother of two offspring, wished the schools were open as she has been tired of managing her son and daughter at home while doing regular household work. Maharjan, a single mother, said that on the one hand she faced trouble to care for the kids all time while they are unable to gain knowledge due to closure of their schools.

Like Maharjan, many guardians across the country have similar stories to share. However, educationists say that children could learn many things from guardians’ activities if the latter helped them in a friendly way.

They said children could learn many things from guardians’ behaviour and they can engage children in domestic activities.

Such activities will support the children to gain knowledge along with life skills, educationists said.

In such type of learning, there could be many things for the children of same age to learn, educationist Biddya Nath Koirala said.

“As an example, in the city area the children could learn how to make some foods like momo and in the remote areas children could learn milking a buffalo and in such practice guardians could complete their task and children also will be able to learn something together,” Koirala said. But, the lapses of our education are that it is linking such behavioral knowledge only with
science, mathematics, he said.

“So, if teachers and guardians are able to provide their wards with task by connecting such behavioral activities of guardians, such type of learning will be sustainable and effective too.”

Besides engaging in guardians’ activities, open and distance education are most essential to continue the education of children from home, Koirala said.

The authorities have to think about the use of multimedia like internet, radio, television and telephone for open learning. He also asked to learn from the best practices across the world.

Prof. Dr. Basu Dev Kafle, another educationist, said guardians must have patience to listen to their children’s queries and address them promptly if they really want to teach children.

Though guardians could teach easily the small age children for their activity too, there is no option to teach via distance learning for senior class students because many guardians are not capable to educate children and are not friendly with technology, Kafle said.

Dr. Bal Chandra Luitel, another educationist, said though children could learn many things at their home with guardians there are problems in home schooling. Due to lack awareness among all parents, lack of space and lack of idea with guardians, children do not receive knowledge well from home as they could.

He suggested guardians to engage children in creative works like making foods, sanitation, gardening and others where the guardians could connect with various subjects. Likewise, Luitel asked guardians to engage them in creative stories and games through the use of technology.

Luitel expressed his dissatisfaction over delay in planning alternative education by the government even in this emergency period.