‘Go away, Corona!’

Children talk about dealing with online classes and Coronavirus

Kanili Kiho
Dimapur | January 5

The Nagaland Government has decided on allowing resumption of physical classes for this academic year from the month of February. While it has notified the Department of School Education to take necessary steps to reopen all schools in an alternate manner for classes 6 onwards, children from Kindergarten (KG) stage to primary classes interacted with The Morung Express expressing their views on missing school and their take on Coronavirus.

Kicheka, six years of age and soon to join class 2 this academic year is missing school. A student of Stepping Stones School, Dimapur, Kicheka says he likes school better than online class “because, at school, I can play, but in online class, I cannot play.”

When prodded if he has more reasons, he goes on listing out the differences, “I only read in online class, but in school I write and read also. I can take lunch in school, but not in online class.”

He is quick to add the fourth reason, “In school, I can rest while playing, but I cannot rest in online class.” However, Kicheka is happy that he can at least meet his friends virtually and “say hi.”

With his sleeping and waking hours affected during the holidays, when questioned if he can wake up early if schools were to reopen, Kicheka assures, “I will have to change my habit.”

He adds, “If Corona was a person, I will tell corona to get away from this world. And never come back!”

Five-year old Aguohuo Katiry, who studies in Living Tree School, Kohima does not like online class, “because Hiti disturbs at home.” Hiti is his younger brother who is three years old. Aguohuo, who will be joining class 1 this academic year says, if Corona was a person, he would tell it “to go away!”

Renbeni says she likes going to school better. Because according to her, “We can do anything in the school. We can read, we can play, and we can do anything, that's why.” Five years of age, Renbeni will also be joining class 1 at Savio KG School, Kohima. If Corona was a person, “I would tell him to go away forever.”

Four-year old Chaanglimla, an LKG student at Wela Foundation School, Tuensang Town, likes school because she gets sweets. However, she is content to study at home for now. “Wash your hands,” is what she would tell Corona if she sees it. 

For Limayanger, a class 2 student at Mount Saramati Montessori School Dimapur, if Corona was a person, “I will beat him and say, hey Coronavirus, don't come to my house.”

Limayanger likes both online class and going to school. But if he has to choose, he likes school better because “I can meet my friends.” 

To keep away from the Coronavirus, he advises all to “wash your hands regularly, wear mask and keep distance from people.” 

Ruth Zhimomi, age 5, an LKG student at Little Kingdom Academy, Dimapur, misses going to school, “but only a little.”

She says she likes playing, colouring and all the activities in the classroom. Ruth likes zoom classes better but that too, “only a little. And then it's kind of boring,” she adds.

When prodded what was getting boring, Ruth mentions that she is unable to interact with her best friend during online classes. She also shares her view on counting numbers. “I don't like counting backwards. I only can do forward,” she says.

Five-year old Eva who is studying at Clifford House School, Kolkata in LKG also likes school better, because “I meet all my friends.” 

For Kuputo, who is studying in Dimapur but presently at his native place says he is “missing school a lot,” and that he did not even take online classes. If Corona was a person, he would tell it “to die,” he shares.

For twin brothers Honjao and Heengan Chenth, they like online classes better, because “we can stay at home and we don't have to wake up early.” For both, students of Hope Academy at KG 2, if Corona was a person, they would say “go corona,” even as the younger twin chips in, “Bad corona.”