7 lakh students in Kerala have no access to online learning, says Opposition

UDF slams govt. for doing little to narrow the digital divide in education

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) moved an adjournment motion in the Assembly on Thursday, stating that an estimated seven lakh school students in Kerala risked academic backwardness and felt left behind because they lacked access to online education. Quoting a recent study by the Left-leaning Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP), Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said an overwhelming number of them hailed from traditionally disadvantaged Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe communities, fisher families and the plantation sector. Their parents could ill-afford laptops, tablets or mobile phones. The families had scarce access to a reliable internet connection. The government had done nothing to narrow the digital divide. It should immediately remove the hurdles to remote learning, Mr. Satheesan said. Often, students had to wait for parents to return from work to access online classes via their mobile phones.