MADURAI: Former Vice-Chancellor of University of Madras and later at Madurai Kamaraj University Dr.P.K.Ponnusamy has exuded strong confidence that India will definitely be able to overcome Corona calamity because this is a country that had seen many calamities. “In the evolution of our mankind and India in particular faced lots of calamities and crises. COVID-19 is a pandemic and India has strong Science and Technology base to overcome Corona crisis,” he said on 20th July 2020.
Speaking to ‘Lotus Times’ news website over phone from Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu yesterday evening, he said that academic fraternity and students will have to get tuned to changing scenario due to Corona lockdown.
“Online classes are good and OK. Teaching through TV channels is fine. At the same time, the handicaps of our rural students and village people who do not have access and familiarity with computer-based learning must be borne in mind. School teachers must clear the students’ doubts and again make them thorough with all chapters done in online mode now. The problem of power cuts – disruption in electricity supply in rural areas will impact students in rural areas and hence special attention is needed,” octogenarian Prof.P.K.Ponnuswamy has advised.
He also pointed out the role of public control and public awareness in Corona cases prevention in Tamil Nadu. He had mooted that online and TV-based teaching for students will be more effective if shown through a public television in a ward or in a village for all students. “Where there is net connection problem or where houses do not have computers, this will be helpful because continuity in learning is important,” he pointed out.
Dr.PKP had emphasized that India will be able to fight Corona since it had faced many calamities when there was no S&T in this country. “Now we must popularize science and message among our people……Our students will be able to bear this and teachers must interact with them, clear doubts. After online lessons, the teachers should answer the student’s doubts. The online classes should be in two-way mode where teachers and students talk to each other like in a classroom. Please take care of our rural students and economically poor children during this Corona- or COVID distress,’ the former Vice-Chancellor has said on 20th July 2020, when asked for his views on this virus crisis which hit schools, colleges and universities.
