Bhubaneswar: The announcement of resumption of offline classes in Dubai has brought relief and optimism among members of the Odia diaspora, with several parents welcoming the return to structured classroom learning.Parents said schools are set to reopen for in-person studies from April 20 in phases, with the return being managed based on each institution’s readiness and compliance with health and safety measures issued by the relevant authorities. Most parents have welcomed the step after over a month of online classes. “There is no substitute for offline or in-person classes. The whole in-person teacher-student interaction greatly aids the process of learning. Peer bonding among the students promotes the spirit of enquiry and discussion. The whole classroom experience is a great enabler of knowledge dissemination and acquisition,” said Priyadarshee Panigrahi, who heads MENA operations of an Indian FMCG. Another parent, Tarapada Panda, a lead telecom engineer with an oil and gas company, said, “Offline classes will offer better engagement and improved interactions between teachers and students and more structured learning environment compared to online classes.”Children, parents said, responded positively to the news. Most were happy to return to normal routine. “My daughter is very excited to meet friends and teachers again,” said Suraj Kumar Panda, a software engineer. Most parents felt with the easing of tensions in the West Asia conflict, it is important that lives return to normal. Though online classes as workable and help maintain continuity of education, these are not without challenges. “Though children adopted well to online classes, they had to deal with screen fatigue and limited interaction,” said Panda.
