Students from across the country were debating whether 'Homework should be banned in every school in India' at The New Indian Express' virtual inter-school debate competition, Let's Debate that streamed live on April 12.
The largest inter-school virtual debate competition in India, it was held in association with Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, MEIL and Linc Pens. The judges for the debate were Manju Latha Kalanidhi, Senior Assistant Editor, The Sunday Magazine, TNIE and Dr Rajashree S R, artist, art coordinator and consultant.
Speaking for the motion, one of the contestants, Gurumithra K, PSBB Millenium School, Coimbatore said, "It is important that the children of today fall in love with learning and homework never really helps do that. The only thing homework does is making students anxious and making the whole process of education tedious. Homework eats up all our free time. The same time can be used to sharpen our skills and unleash our creativity. We already spend about 6-8 hours a day, five days a week in school. After all this time in school, home must be a place where we can take a break. Homework prevents this and even causes high stress levels. We don't get the time to go out and exercise. Family time is also restricted because of homework and spending time with family is so important because it teaches us the important of relationships."
Speaking against the motion, Radha Umesh Mulay, CHIREC International School said, "There are limited hours during the school day and it is very difficult for the teachers to assess whether the students have understood all the concepts taught. Homework helps achieve this. Homework helps reinforce knowledge, allows children to learn at their own pace and master time management as it expects us to finish a given task at a given time. It teaches us to establish priorities and responsibilities as a student. Homework also teaches us the importance of planning, organisation and independent work."
Advait Anand, a class VII student of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School, Chennai was the winner and Radha Unmesh Mulay, a class VII student of CHIREC International School was the runner-up