Prof. Bal Chandra Luitel, School of Education, Kathmandu University (Translated from Nepalese by Bineeta Baral)

Lock-down has changed every day life’s activity not only mine but everyone else.  If I have to talk about me, I used to reach the University around 11 am and stayed there until 6 pm and during evening classes until 8:30 pm. 

I have now shifted my evening classes to the day time. They no go on from 3 pm to 5 pm.The students who were writing their thesis, they used to visit me in University during the office hours.  Now, we meet virtually.

Altogether I now spend about 13 hours in my virtual world.  It usually starts around 9 am and ends around 10 pm.  I am engaged teaching my regular classes, being advisor in different programs, conducting the webinars and online training. Besides my regular M.Phil and PhD classes, I am always engaged with some sort of virtual meetings, trainings and webinars.

Now, I don’t have to commute which saves a lot more time which allows me to do other activities.  I am working on academic papers with my PhD students and reading PhD students thesis drafts.

From the beginning of the lock-down, my concern was that the authorized department of education should have emergency plan in education, though there were some of the personalities from other Universities mentioning it is not worth making an emergency plan at this time. –

Since there will be some distance mode of education even after the lock-down than why not continue to use technological tools such as google meet, google classroom, zoom and Microsoft.  We should try to utilize these tools and enhance the educator’s skills.-

Parents should be supportive of students’ learning in distance mode but they should not pressure them. Parents should know that learning happens not only through textbooks but through students’ daily activities.  For instance, parents can engage their children by letting them write about their favorite cartoon. Let them work independently and in creative ways. Students should explore and do self-study in areas of interest to them.