Noida: Private schools in the city are bringing back offline learning practices following a district magistrate’s directive to limit students’ screen time.Amid concerns raised by parents over excessive screen exposure, district magistrate Medha Roopam issued a directive last month to limit smartboard use to 30 minutes a day for Classes I to V and 60 minutes for Classes VI to VIII. The Aug 13 circular also asked school managements to ensure balanced use of digital boards. The circular noted that average screen exposure among students had climbed to four to five hours a day in some cases, even as use of blackboards, greenboards and whiteboards declined. It also flagged poor attention to backlight and screen settings on digital boards.Following the directive, several schools have switched to whiteboards, outdoor and hands-on learning activities. Others have returned to diaries for homework instructions and communication with parents instead of apps.At DPS Greater Noida, principal Seema Roy said the school has adopted a selective approach towards technology, with digital resources being used only when they enhance the learning experience. “The school is also promoting reading, storytelling, discussions, role plays, art and craft and collaborative activities. Technology should remain a facilitator of learning and not become a substitute for meaningful human interaction, physical activity and experiential learning,” Roy said.Grads International School principal Aditi Basu Roy agreed that post-Covid, screen addiction among students impacted their physical and mental well-being. “Our teachers have started using colourful marker pens to write on whiteboards. They have also switched back to school diaries from WhatsApp, enterprise resource planning (ERP) or other platforms to communicate with parents.”Reading from books and interacting directly with teachers are important parts of the learning process, she said. “They help build focus, discipline and meaningful classroom engagement.”Some schools are also conducting sessions on mindful screen use, sports, yoga, Zumba, and experiential learning to promote students’ physical and emotional well-being.
DPS introduced reading classes for students
DPS Greater Noida West has introduced a ‘Drop Everything and Read’ (DEAR) programme to foster reading habits among students. The school is also holding sessions to sensitise students about mindful screen use and promoting hands-on learning.Parents welcomed the new changes. A parent of a Class IV student in Noida said they have noticed how children can become dependent on screens, especially after online learning during the pandemic. “Technology is useful, but children need time to read, write, play and interact,” he said.Payel Sharma, a student at a private school in Greater Noida told TOI that she enjoyed learning on computers, especially through interesting activities, but also liked writing in her notebook, reading books and doing things with my classmates. “There should be a balance — we should use computers when they help us learn and spend the rest of the time on other activities. Computer classes are also important because technology is becoming a big part of our lives,” she said.The principal of a private school in Noida said that while reducing screen exposure through computer or AI classes for younger children may be reasonable, the bigger focus should be on parents understanding that digital education, when used appropriately, is also an essential part of learning today.
