Mumbai: Airoli private school blocks online learning access

No active classes were visible when a student logged in, as per the screenshot shared by a parent

As schools reopened after the Christmas vacation on Monday, many reverted to the online mode because of the massive rise in Covid-19 cases. While many administrations adopted the precautionary move, EuroSchool in Airoli allegedly made offline classes mandatory for Std IX and Std X. Parents, who had decided against sending their children back to campus, were shocked to learn the school had blocked their online access. The management, however, denied cutting off online access to students.

Circular issued on Jan 1

"Stds IX and X students will attend classes on the school campus from Monday to Friday, starting from January 3. There will be no online classes conducted for these Grades from January onwards," read the circular dated January 1, sent by the school to all parents. It listed other SOPs to be followed on the campus. While some parents sent their wards to school, others remained firm on their stand against resumption of offline classes in view of the rising Covid-19 cases. They asked their children to login for online sessions, as before the vacation, EuroSchool, like every other institution, was offering the hybrid mode of learning - a mixture of online and offline classes.

"I was shocked when my son could not log in to the online app that the school has for online classes. Only those who went to school could attend the lessons. This is bizarre, as the rules for school reopening clearly state that online mode of learning should continue as well. With alarming concerns around Covid-19, the school should not make offline classes mandatory," said one parent. Another said, "Some children might have Covid-19 patients at home or in the building they reside in. They will miss out on academics if the online option is not offered. This will cause a huge loss, especially now when the final exam is just around the corner."

Parents shared that the parent-teacher association (PTA) was in constant touch with the school throughout the day to raise the concerns, and only then the management sent a revised circular, announcing resumption of online mode of learning. However, the classes resumed through zoom classes, not through the school's own online learning system. A statement by the school management stated, "At EuroSchool, Airoli, we have resumed school in the hybrid model for all grades, which means students will have the option to either come to school or attend the classes from home. With our online learning ecosystem, ARGUS, we ensure online learning is available to all our students, anywhere, anytime. Apart from having online school available, whenever students are required to come to school, all Covid-related safety protocols are strictly adhered to at the school."