Educationists discuss challenges of teaching rural students amid pandemic.

Byline: Shazia Hasan

KARACHI -- 'Is access to education during the Covid-19 pandemic a privilege or a right?' This was the topic of an online session organised by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) through Zoom on Thursday.

The speakers were Sadiqa Salahuddin, founder and executive director of the Indus Resource Centre, and Rahila Fatima, head of strategic development, The Citizens Foundation (TCF), with Kausar S. Khan, adviser, community engagement with the Indus Health Network, as the moderator.

'These days we find people talk of theory while being behind on practice. So we thought of listening to our two educationists today to understand their way of practice in continuing with the education of students during the Covid-19 situation to develop theory from there,' said Kausar Khan.

Talking about their method of teaching before the pandemic and how they are continuing with their work under the present circumstances, Ms Salahuddin said that with most of their schools, including those which they are running in partnership with the government, located in Sindh's interior, they could not really run them sitting in Karachi without getting the people there involved.

'For this, we have village education committees where our teachers, who are also local, keep in touch with the students in their localities in order to keep them engaged in their education. Having local teachers is an advantage that way,' she said.

'We have village education committees where our teachers keep in touch with the students'

She also explained about their project where there are certain people already looking after the affairs of their teachers and staff while monitoring their progress. 'Teachers are encouraged to focus on an education that doesn't overlook co-curricular activities and local culture.'

Coming to the Covid-19 period, she said there is no need to feel inferiority complex when looking at online classes being organised by elite schools. 'We have equipment issues, budget issues, so we can't be like them,' she said.

She continued that the lockdown happened in late February when their school students were preparing for their final exams that were to take place in March. 'When we realised that the students were going to miss their exams, we got in touch with our project staff to connect with their head teachers and prepare and deliver worksheets to students for them to be able to solve at home. But it was not easy when we realised that photocopying 20...