Mysore/Mysuru: Expressing concern that nearly 30 percent of the 36 crore school children in the country have turned into child labourers due to poverty during COVID-19 times, MLC A.H. Vishwanath said, it is unfortunate that no debates are going on in the country over this serious issue.

He was speaking after releasing academician Dr. Prasanna Hegde’s work ‘Corona Jothege Shaala Baduku’ (Leading school life along with Corona) at a programme jointly organised by Jnanavardhini Educational Trust and District Sharana Sahitya Parishat at Pathrakartara Bhavan in city yesterday.

Stating that apart from child labour, child marriages too increased during COVID-19 crisis, Vishwanath said that Corona outbreak has given rise to several other serious problems which needs to be addressed at the earliest. Observing that  elaborate debates and deliberations on what all precautionary and safety measures that have to be taken if schools and colleges were to re-open in the coming days, he said that it is disappointing that such purposeful debates, involving educationists, parents and people representatives are not taking place.

Noting that according to a survey, 1.5 crore children are studying in over 70,000 schools across the State, the MLC observed that imparting education to children amid COVID-19 crisis has become a huge challenge for administrators.

Pointing out that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that there will be no remedy for Corona sooner, he said that under such circumstances, everyone should be careful and follow precautionary and safety measures. “The book author has given some important and very useful tips on taking care and education of children during Corona and such other crises,” Vishwanath said. 

Stating that online education has come to the forefront due to Corona, he said that there is a lot of difference between online education and class education, where children learn in groups. Regretting that online education had become a way for money-making, he said that online education has more disadvantages and as such, running online classes will not guarantee that every child gets equal and quality education.

JSS Mahavidyapeetha’s Director of Collegiate Education and Publications, Prof. Morabada Mallikarjuna, who spoke about the book, said that author Dr. Prasanna Hegde has highlighted  the fact that schools are there for children and not otherwise. Noting that the book gives some important tips on child education, he said that the author has attempted to send a message that there should be no hurry in re-opening of schools and that a gap of one year will help mould the future of children for the next 100 years. He further said that the author has also thrown light on the fact that the health of children is very much important than school attendance.

DDPI (in-charge) M. Udaykumar, District Sharana Sahitya Parishat Mysuru President M. Chandrashekar, book author Dr. Prasanna Hegde, 

Beerappa, Zakir Hussain and others were present.