<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Thank you. </div><div dir="ltr"><b>Prof. Kumar</b>, please see below the message I posted earlier. Would appreciate it if you / other Delhi-based people could sign on. </div><div dir="ltr">_________________________________<br><div><br></div><div><div>So far, our representations/letters for opening schools have fallen on deaf ears. </div><div><br></div><div>In Delhi, schools remain closed for classes up to class 8 (for 1.5 years and counting). However, festive gatherings have been allowed, and of course, everything else remains open as usual. </div><div><br></div><div>We are now trying a much more scaled down request to Delhi authorities to allow children up to class 8 to come to school at least once a week for sports/music, etc. </div><div><br></div><div>If you know of any Delhi-based people who would be willing to sign, the document is available here: <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WqUHxS6Eqv_2Dk0uNjGprPirfxceGPpf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107516627802191781674&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WqUHxS6Eqv_2Dk0uNjGprPirfxceGPpf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107516627802191781674&rtpof=true&sd=true</a> </div><div><br></div><div>If anyone is unable to comment to add their name, then please email me with your name, profession, location, etc. </div></div><div><br></div><div>_________________________________________________</div><div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">Best regards,</div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">Tanya Aggarwal </div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">+91 98184 29893<br></div><div><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-aggarwal1/" target="_blank"><font color="#0c343d">LinkedIn</font></a><font color="#0c343d">; </font><a href="https://twitter.com/tanya_aggarwal1" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="color:rgb(12,52,61)"> </span></div></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Oct 3, 2021 at 2:28 PM Madhu Belur <<a href="mailto:belur@ee.iitb.ac.in">belur@ee.iitb.ac.in</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">I have included Prof. Lalan Kumar of IIT Delhi into this<br>
email.<br>
<br>
There surely would be more from IIT Delhi (in addition to<br>
Aaditeshwar Seth and Lalan Kumar)<br>
<br>
With regards,<br>
Madhu<br>
<br>
On 03-10-2021, Tanya Aggarwal <<a href="mailto:tanya98@gmail.com" target="_blank">tanya98@gmail.com</a>> wrote: <br>
><br>
> Many thanks - we need another 13 to reach (a respectable) 50 so would<br>
> appreciate it if you and others could get more to sign on. <br>
> On Sun, 3 Oct 2021 at 2:40 AM, Guru <[1]<a href="mailto:Guru@itforchange.net" target="_blank">Guru@itforchange.net</a>> wrote:<br>
> <br>
> I have shared the link with our networks in Delhi and also endorsed it<br>
> on behalf of the [2]National Coalition on the Education Emergency (NCEE)<br>
> <br>
> The [3]NCEE recently released a 'Research Brief''which collates Indian<br>
> and global research studies on Covid and Education carried out over the<br>
> last 18 months. This research brief is available in [4]Hindi and in<br>
> English and can be shared with the Education Minister as it is<br>
> univocally in favour of school opening. The [5]NCEE Policy Tracker also<br>
> shows that most states in India have opened high schools and some have<br>
> also opened higher primary schools.<br>
> <br>
> regards,<br>
> Guru<br>
> <br>
> Gurumurthy Kasinathan<br>
> [6]<a href="http://www.ITforChange.Net" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">www.ITforChange.Net</a>| Cell:91 9845437730 | [7]Tel:91 80 26654134,<br>
> 26536890<br>
> My search engine is [8]<a href="https://duckduckgo.com" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://duckduckgo.com</a>. Make it yours.<br>
> On 01/10/21 2:37 pm, Tanya Aggarwal wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Dear all, <br>
> So far, our representations/letters for opening schools have fallen on<br>
> deaf ears. <br>
> In Delhi, schools remain closed for classes up to class 8 (for 1.5<br>
> years and counting). However, festive gatherings have been allowed,<br>
> and of course, everything else remains open as usual. <br>
> We are now trying a much more scaled down request to Delhi authorities<br>
> to allow children up to class 8 to come to school at least once a week<br>
> for sports/music, etc. <br>
> If you know of any Delhi-based people who would be willing to sign,<br>
> the document is available<br>
> here: [9]<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WqUHxS6Eqv_2Dk0uNjGprPirfxceGPpf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107516627802191781674&rtpof=true&sd=true" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WqUHxS6Eqv_2Dk0uNjGprPirfxceGPpf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107516627802191781674&rtpof=true&sd=true</a> <br>
> If anyone is unable to comment to add their name, then please email me<br>
> with your name, profession, location, etc. <br>
> Best regards,<br>
> Tanya Aggarwal <br>
> +91 98184 29893<br>
> [10]LinkedIn; [11]Twitter <br>
> On Fri, Aug 6, 2021 at 3:10 PM Guru <[12]<a href="mailto:Guru@itforchange.net" target="_blank">Guru@itforchange.net</a>> wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Thanks Reetika for your response.<br>
> <br>
> I understand you are super busy, so two requests for your support,<br>
> which are based on what you are anyway doing:<br>
> <br>
> 1. Making media cover the '[13]Education Emergency' is vital and<br>
> the series in Scroll etc have been good. Do refer any media<br>
> people to a [14]brief note about this coalition and if they<br>
> have any questions for us, we will be happy to respond. If you<br>
> think the term '[15]Education Emergency' is evocative, do use<br>
> it in your interviews/writings etc and refer to the National<br>
> Coalition being formed to discuss/raise awareness of this issue.<br>
> The more individuals/institutions that are a part of this<br>
> coalition and can work together to raise awareness including of<br>
> parents, across states, the more chances we have of persuading<br>
> some governments to open schools and serve as a model to other<br>
> states. We are also translating materials to<br>
> Hindi/Bengali/Marathi/Tamil/Kannada/Malayalam etc and this can<br>
> also be shared with the regional language publications.<br>
> 2. We have a '[16]working group on research' that is collating all<br>
> the studies/surveys done and periodically release compilation of<br>
> these studies. So do share your survey with us.<br>
> <br>
> If there are individuals/organizations in your network who would<br>
> like to form part of the national coalition, do share the<br>
> [17]Education Emergency link with them. You can follow<br>
> [18]<a href="https://educationemergency.net" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net</a> where we will be updating media<br>
> articles, research reports, policy trackers, mobilization programs<br>
> on the [19]Education Emergency regularly.<br>
> <br>
> regards<br>
> Guru<br>
> <br>
> On 06/08/21 12:08 pm, Reetika Khera wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Dear all: With some colleagues, we are planning to do a small<br>
> survey on the situation with online schooling in the coming two<br>
> weeks. Besides that, I don't think can do much because I'm badly<br>
> swamped with admin duties at IIT Delhi. Even the interview with<br>
> Karan Thapar, my main role was to send him some reading material<br>
> and to agree to be a prop while he spoke :)<br>
> <br>
> I've been trying to get a few media people interested in doing<br>
> ground reports and they are coming in a trickle (NDTV/Alok Pande<br>
> did one from UP; today there's something from Jharkhand/Latehar by<br>
> Saurav Kumar in Newsclick; scroll has done a few case studies or<br>
> they are on the anvil and so on).<br>
> <br>
> Regards,<br>
> <br>
> R<br>
> <br>
> On 05-08-2021 17:55, Guru wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Thank you Aadi for connecting<br>
> <br>
> Dear Bhaskar,<br>
> So encouraging to hear from you, I will call you tomorrow<br>
> morning around 11 if that is Ok for you. If not do indicate<br>
> anytime tomorrow.<br>
> We have a meeting on Aug 7, at 6 pm of a 'working group on<br>
> social mobilization' whose aim it is to create a larger social<br>
> pressure for school opening and it would be great to have you<br>
> and other colleagues in that group.<br>
> <br>
> regards,<br>
> Guru<br>
> <br>
> On 05/08/21 2:19 pm, Bhaskaran Raman wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Thanks Aadi for connecting.<br>
> Dear Guru,<br>
> I am taking the liberty of copying a few of my colleagues and<br>
> friends; a group of us have been doing what we can do push for<br>
> reopening schools.<br>
> I am attaching an OpEd my colleague Om Damani and I wrote in<br>
> The Hindu a couple of weeks back.<br>
> A group of 50+ of us also wrote an open letter to CMs of<br>
> Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka:<br>
> [20]<a href="https://tinyurl.com/schooltaskforceletter" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/schooltaskforceletter</a> and this got<br>
> some media attention on the issue too.<br>
> Do call me any time: 9820082064 . I wish to talk to you about<br>
> your effort which seems sorely needed, and how we can all work<br>
> together.<br>
> Regards,<br>
> Bhaskar.<br>
> On 05/08/21 12:53 pm, Aaditeshwar Seth wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Dear Guru,<br>
> <br>
> Yes for sure, I'm CCing Reetika. She is of course the<br>
> front-runner here in raising these and other social issues<br>
> to public attention.<br>
> <br>
> I am also CCing Professor Bhaskaran Raman from IIT Bombay<br>
> who has also been championing the aspect of re-opening of<br>
> schools. He recently put in a letter to several state CMs<br>
> endorsed by a wide network of academics, lawyers, and<br>
> educationalists.<br>
> <br>
> Dear Reetika and Bhaskar, Guru leads IT for Change in<br>
> Bangalore. He has a very rich experience of working with the<br>
> education system especially in Kerala and Karnataka, and is<br>
> also a strong advocate for the use of FOSS (free and<br>
> open-source software) in schools to replace the use of<br>
> proprietary software in teaching and the education<br>
> curriculum. Please do see the links below on the education<br>
> emergency.<br>
> <br>
> regards<br>
> <br>
> Aadi<br>
> <br>
> On 8/5/2021 12:44 PM, Guru wrote:<br>
> <br>
> on another note Aadi<br>
> <br>
> I am part of a National Coalition on the Education<br>
> Emergency, which has been formed, to create a wider<br>
> social mobilization around the issues connected to school<br>
> closure.<br>
> <br>
> I saw an interview of Reetika Khera, IIT-D on <br>
> [21]<a href="https://m.thewire.in/article/education/watch-karan-thapar-online-education-covid-schools" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://m.thewire.in/article/education/watch-karan-thapar-online-education-covid-schools</a> <br>
> and she has discussed many of the points we have been<br>
> speaking about. While many are saying clearly that<br>
> schools and colleges must open (carefully), bringing them<br>
> together and connecting these ideas to communities, mass<br>
> organizations would make the task of persuading<br>
> governments less difficult.<br>
> <br>
> Would it be possible for you to forward this mail to her,<br>
> I would like to discuss and see how she could amplify the<br>
> messages as well as support us in building a larger social<br>
> mobilization around this issue.<br>
> [22]<a href="https://educationemergency.net/2021/08/resume-and-renew-education-for-26-crore-children/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/2021/08/resume-and-renew-education-for-26-crore-children/</a><br>
> [23]<a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> <br>
> thanks and regards<br>
> Guru<br>
> --<br>
> <br>
> Gurumurthy Kasinathan | Director<br>
> [24]IT for Change<br>
> (In special consultative status with the United Nations<br>
> ECOSOC)<br>
> 91-80-26654134 | 91-9845437730<br>
> <br>
> --<br>
> Best regards,<br>
> Tanya Aggarwal <br>
> +91 98184 29893<br>
> [25]LinkedIn; [26]Twitter <br>
> <br>
> References<br>
> <br>
> Visible links<br>
> 1. mailto:<a href="mailto:Guru@itforchange.net" target="_blank">Guru@itforchange.net</a><br>
> 2. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> 3. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> 4. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/coalition-releases-research-brief/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/coalition-releases-research-brief/</a><br>
> 5. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/policy-tracker/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/policy-tracker/</a><br>
> 6. <a href="http://www.itforchange.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.itforchange.net/</a><br>
> 7. file:///tmp/Tel:91<br>
> 8. <a href="https://duckduckgo.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://duckduckgo.com/</a><br>
> 9. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WqUHxS6Eqv_2Dk0uNjGprPirfxceGPpf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107516627802191781674&rtpof=true&sd=true" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WqUHxS6Eqv_2Dk0uNjGprPirfxceGPpf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107516627802191781674&rtpof=true&sd=true</a><br>
> 10. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-aggarwal1/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-aggarwal1/</a><br>
> 11. <a href="https://twitter.com/tanya_aggarwal1" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/tanya_aggarwal1</a><br>
> 12. mailto:<a href="mailto:Guru@itforchange.net" target="_blank">Guru@itforchange.net</a><br>
> 13. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> 14. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/2021/08/resume-and-renew-education-for-26-crore-children/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/2021/08/resume-and-renew-education-for-26-crore-children/</a><br>
> 15. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> 16. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/coalition-members-participants/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/coalition-members-participants/</a><br>
> 17. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> 18. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> 19. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> 20. <a href="https://tinyurl.com/schooltaskforceletter" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/schooltaskforceletter</a><br>
> 21. <a href="https://m.thewire.in/article/education/watch-karan-thapar-online-education-covid-schools" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://m.thewire.in/article/education/watch-karan-thapar-online-education-covid-schools</a><br>
> 22. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/2021/08/resume-and-renew-education-for-26-crore-children/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/2021/08/resume-and-renew-education-for-26-crore-children/</a><br>
> 23. <a href="https://educationemergency.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://educationemergency.net/</a><br>
> 24. <a href="http://www.itforchange.net/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.itforchange.net/</a><br>
> 25. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-aggarwal1/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-aggarwal1/</a><br>
> 26. <a href="https://twitter.com/tanya_aggarwal1" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/tanya_aggarwal1</a><br>
</blockquote></div>