Eight parents from Delhi move SC, seek resumption of physical classes

Delhi parents petition Supreme Court for resumption of physical classes due to challenges faced by children with special needs.

Eight parents from Delhi have approached the Supreme Court seeking the resumption of physical classes that were suspended last week following a spike in air pollution.

The petitioners include a driver, who argued that the technology required for virtual classes is unavailable at many homes, and the mother of a specially-abled boy, who told the court that children with special needs require care that can only be made available by trained schoolteachers.

A government school principal said there are many homes with limited financial means where three or more children are forced to share a smartphone to attend online classes, making it difficult to focus and learn.

“At such homes, the attendance of the students drops to around 55% when physical classes are stopped. Private schools can conduct online classes, but it is not as easy for government schools,” said the principal.

Anushree Shivpuri, mother of an eight-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder, said that her son has difficulty focusing, and online classes aggravate the condition.

“In school, he has a shadow teacher who helps him explain concepts. At school, a teacher also helps with speech therapy, but all this cannot happen online,” she explained.

Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School, said her school has around 25 children with special needs who find it challenging to study online.