Rural students and online classes

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the country's education sector to go online. Virtual classes are being conducted by many educational intuitions. Online education is nothing new in the developed countries. But it is completely a new system for Bangladeshi students, especially for the students of rural areas.

Taking part in online classes is nothing but a luxury for many students of poor families and in the rural areas as they lack essential gadgets, infrastructure, resources and high-speed internet. The teachers, who are not at all trained, also encounter hurdles in taking classes virtually.

As a result, most of the students in the rural Bangladesh just cannot adapt to the online classes and as such they are quietly dropping out. One needs to bear in mind that online classes, touted as the 'new normal', cannot replace face-to-face learning. So, the government should formulate policies for education keeping the rural students in mind.

Ataul Karim Ashik

Student of BBA

North South University, Dhaka

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