When the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, schools started to close, and remote learning became the norm. A lot of parents switched their children from traditional schooling to being homeschooled.
There were about 83,784 students enrolled in homeschool in 2020-2021 more than double the 40,608 enrolled in the previous academic year, says Statistics Canada.
Traditional schooling can’t be replaced by homeschooling for several reasons.
Traditional schooling refers to a structured educational environment where students attend classes in buildings and the education is done through books and presentations following a set curriculum.
In the modern era, traditional schooling has evolved, and some parents now look for education to be flexible and not restrictive to one structure.
Ontario had 56,100 homeschooled kids pre-COVID, comprising roughly 2.5 per cent of the youth population, according to the Canadian Centre for Home Education (CCHE), an advocacy group. This figure grew to 96,500 during the public-school lockdown, CCHE reported.
Traditional schooling provides children with the opportunity to interact with their peers and develop social skills. This is important for their development and well-being. Moreover, a structured and disciplined environment is created that can help children to learn and grow. This can be difficult to replicate in a homeschooling environment.
Traditional schools have access to a wide range of resources, such as libraries, laboratories, and gymnasiums giving them extracurricular opportunities. These institutions ensure that they are providing a quality education to their students.
Homeschooling does save commuting time, and the schedule and curriculum are customizable, but it restrains children from social life and learning. They can’t easily be a part of events, activities or sports which are an essential part of one’s growth. Skills like independence can’t be learnt as effectively in a homely environment when there are no deadlines given.
Ultimately, I think the best way to gain education is in a classroom with educators giving the information. If the concern is flexibility or putting less pressure on the students, we can try innovating something, but losing the benefits of traditional schooling won’t be justified.
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