Online schooling in India started receiving mass adoption, once students, educators and parents were convinced of the merits of such a mode. However, Parents, students, and educators alike had their own apprehensions to such a mode of learning, and why not? Some schools / institutions were ad-hoc in the manner they transitioned to the online platform, which really shook confidence in such a mode of learning.
However, with structured elements and scientific processes, credible online schooling platforms exist which in some cases may even be more beneficial for your child, than a physical school.
Given below are a few pointers which will help you decide whether one should go for online schooling in India.
Plugs the loopholes of physical education
Accounting for diverse learners, online schooling is one of the best options out there for a student to access a varied curriculum and subject at their own pace, and under one’s own design, anytime, anywhere.
Additionally, the Indian education system has been slow in adapting to global changes and incorporating latest imperatives into the education process. Teacher quality, infrastructure, cost, diversity, personalised attention, and non-uniform pedagogy remain key issues.
With its hyper-customised curriculum, and accredited structures, online education helps plug these loopholes by transferring control to the learner rather than the educator. Such a system can help reduce dropouts, and provide access to students anytime, anywhere.
Moreover, online schooling is highly suited for children who are undergoing professional education in non-academic fields – a routine that no physical school is structured for. The self-paced style helps the child pursue desired vocation, at the same time completing education at one’s own pace.
Gateway to world class curriculum
Do you want your child to access American, British or another international curriculum? If yes, then online education platforms may be your best options.
The physical institutes providing such curricula in India do so at a premium cost level, and that too, with a slight divergence from international standards given the need to adjust to a mass set of learners in India. Online learning platforms have partnered with credible international institutes to enable the provision of such curriculum at lower costs, and that too aligned to international best practices.
Moreover, the learners can customize the learning plan to help insert themselves at a pace desirable to them. The global acceptability, recognition, and the validation of credibility are key features of any international curriculum – hence, the online schooling platforms may be a desirable gateway for the world for your child.
Friendly on the pocket, and efficient on time
Apart from tuition fee, the entire physical school fee consists of uniform fee, bus fee, development fee, mess charges, extra-curricular fee, sports fee and other elements.
Such fee elements have been a burden on the parents without any tangible benefits. Moreover, should one be required to choose aspects such as coding platforms, or extra classes for their child, the costs are extra.
The physically frugal, and digitally enabled features of the online world enable a schooling platform to eliminate aspects such as bus fee, uniform fee, development fee, mess charges, extra-curricular fee, sports fee, and other elements. Moreover, they lack a physical infrastructure which brings down their costs of providing education given the lack of any rental requirements, overheads such as electricity, housekeeping or other charges.
Such a setup saves time spent on travel and helps parents who are regularly on the move due to their jobs, given the access to education is available anytime, anywhere.
Hence, given that the cost for providing education is lesser for online education platforms, the cost charged to the parents is also less. Students get to enjoy varied curriculum, at their own pace or in live scenarios at the comfort of their homes and at a reduced price point.
Helps build digital skills
Whether it is one’s corporate life, higher education, or immediate education needs, knowing that the short-term future is online, as well as one’s long-term future.
In the short-term, the continuance of the efficiency of digital technologies will continue to drive bursts of online only education. There is no doing away from this. Additionally, in the long-term, most of one’s professional life will be spent over online communication and working channels. This trend is also seeping into Indian corporate life, and is becoming a norm.
Hence, it may be safe to believe that one may not have a choice to walk out of the online mode of learning. Be prepared to continue in this mode – the only effort should be towards selecting the right online schools that your child can adjust to best
The policy support
Our policy makers have started looking in the direction of recognising online as a credible medium of instruction for imparting education.
The launch of programs such as SWAYAM (which is a programme initiated by Government of India and designed to achieve the three cardinal principles of Education Policy viz., access, equity, and quality. The objective of this effort is to take the best teaching learning resources to all, including the most disadvantaged. SWAYAM seeks to bridge the digital divide for students who have hitherto remained untouched by the digital revolution and have not been able to join the mainstream of the knowledge economy), and NMEICT (The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology) are working towards supporting the existing education systems through intervention of technology.
Hence, the country’s education system is slated for a tech boom in education, and hence it may be best for you to be ready for it via online schooling.
