THE coronavirus pandemic has engulfed the whole world and disrupted life. The most miserable of people are students.

In view of the long-duration lockdowns ordered in different countries, students have been directed to continue education online but therein lies the problem.

Students are very tense owing to the online classes. Since all academic activities are being conducted via internet, students are facing issues like slow internet connectivity, electricity breakdown issues, irregular class timings, clash of time of different courses.

The students find the going difficult. They can’t learn easily in online classes and they can’t communicate properly with teachers. All these shortcomings will adversely affect student grades.

Medical and engineering students are the worst off. They are facing problems like how they attend lab classes online and perform the necessary practicals that are a must with each course.

Moreover, the bête noire of students, mathematics, is a tough subject in normal circumstances. Trying to make sense of mathematics in an online class is a challenge for even the brightest student.

This issue of online classes needs to be revisited, as this matter effects learning and the careers of tomorrow’s generation. The government should give a semester break and classes suspended until the Covid-19 pandemic is beaten back.

Mahnoor Ghazal
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2020