Prime minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to states and private schools to take school classes offline has triggered anger among stakeholders, with many reminiscing that the Covid-19 driven closure of schools had resulted in severe learning loss.

Modi in his message on Sunday appealed to citizens to voluntarily reduce the consumption of fuel, oil, and other essential resources during the ongoing crisis, emphasizing the need for collective responsibility and restraint. He urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, use fuel judiciously, and adopt energy-saving practices in their daily lives so that national resources can be conserved and supply pressures reduced. While the appeal was framed as a voluntary and patriotic effort to support the country during challenging times, concerns remain that such measures should not extend into critical sectors like education, where long-term social and developmental consequences can outweigh short-term adjustments. This comes in the wake of the ongoing US-Iran war while others have also expressed fear over the new Hantavirus quarantine.

In Karnataka, private school managements and experts have urged the government to ensure schools continue functioning as usual while curbs could be in place on higher education and other sectors

D Shashi Kumar, general secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka condemned the prime minister’s call to consider hybrid education in schools

“The call to give a push to online learning is very shocking. The learning loss and damage caused to the overall well-being of children  during the 500 days of covid -19 pandemic closure itself has not been fixed yet. Children continue to suffer due to poor learning abilities. In school education particularly, online education is never an ideal alternative arrangement to in-person education. Physical classes are absolutely necessary. Hybrid education is an impractical solution. It might be a feasible option for higher education if necessary,” he added.

T Lokesh, president, Karnataka Registered Unaided Private Schools Association said, “The Prime Minister’s statement has been in the tone of urging people to act voluntarily during a time of crisis. However, with regard to school education, it is deeply concerning and disastrous to recommend a shift towards hybrid learning. Schools are not merely spaces for academic instruction; they are institutions that shape a child’s character, social skills, discipline, and emotional growth. A child’s overall development takes place through interaction, participation, and collective learning within the school environment, and denying children this opportunity is unfair and harmful. We strongly condemn this approach. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a mandate to continue learning from home, and the repercussions of that period — including learning gaps, reduced social interaction, and mental health challenges — continue to affect students today.”

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