No

Fewer extra skills

At school, kids are taught a variety of things apart from studies, such as art, music and more. At home, these additional exercises are limited due to a parent’s lack of experience or lack of equipment. Besides, schools have rigid timetables, which help children learn to manage time.

Kiran Teresa Kaith, 
The Cambridge School, Hazra, Calcutta

Interaction matters

Home schooling deprives a student of the interaction with people — such as teachers, classmates or other staff members — that conventional schooling offers as a matter of course. This limits the child’s ability to react to different situations and face real-life problems as they have not been exposed to the world outside their homes.

Farheen Ali, 
Class XI, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Latehar, 
Jharkhand

Learn responsibility

Home schooling falls short of facilities, exposure and discipline. Conventional schooling is the ideal way to  prepare students for the real world. Students not only gain knowledge in schools but are also groomed to become responsible individuals.

Neha Sarbadhikary, 
Netaji Subhash Engineering College, Calcutta

Second home

Schools do not simply impart education and values,  they also contribute to the psychological DNA of a person. Schools teach us to share, that united we stand. They teach us to find joy in the little things in life. After all, schools are meant to be one’s second home.
Ankita Sen, 
Presidency University, 
Calcutta

Yes

Waste of time

These days children learn very little in school. Nine out of 10 schools in India teach students neither discipline nor impart any meaningful education. This is why students have to depend on a parallel education system — coaching or private tuition. In such circumstances, it’s better to opt for home schooling and send students to tuition classes. Conventional schools are a waste of time and money.

Smita Roy Chowdhury, 
Sodepur, West Bengal

Home is best

If the mother is an educated housewife, she can teach her child at home and use the National Institute of Open Schools for board exams. To learn discipline, the child can join extracurricular classes — such as a music school, art school or sports academy.

Sudip Barman, 
Silchar, Assam

Custom lessons

In home schooling, students get more time for studies and much more personalised attention. Parents can assess their kid’s strength, weakness and interests easily and customise lessons accordingly. 

Tauseef Sehar, 
Class IX, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Latehar, 
Jharkhand

At their own pace

As outlined in The One World Schoolhouse by Salman Khan [of Khan Academy], each student should be allowed to learn at his or her own pace. Grades, deadlines and class time should be reduced. Subjects should be woven together so that students can study at the cross-sections between History, Maths, Science, Philosophy and Social Studies.

Tara Mukherjee, 
Bonhooghly, Calcutta

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