'Teachers need time to reconnect with students'

New Delhi: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday launched the first online workshop of G20 Interfaith Forum Education Working Group initiative, where he said, "Our teachers and students have gone through a lot of pain during the time of pandemic, we want to support them in overcoming the grief. We want to create a space for our teachers and their students for sharing, and a meaningful dialogue and listening before resumption of teaching learning activities."

The Education Minister of Delhi went on to say that such initiatives in collaboration with the Guerrand-Hermès Foundation for Peace Institute were a step in the direction to achieving this dialogue with students and teachers.

Sisodia said that the pandemic had given governments the opportunity to re-imagine schooling and adapt it to new emerging realities.

"We need to ask the question that whether we want to start teaching right away or do we want to give the space for the teachers and students to reconnect with each other. For us school reopening is not just about opening the books; it's about opening the heart and mind to reconnect with each other," the Dy CM said.

He added that it was extremely important for teachers to reconnect with their students in the present circumstances. He said, "But before that, they need to be prepared to not just overcome their own grief and stress due to very difficult last few months but also be emotionally ready to support their students too who are in similar circumstances."