Viji (name changed), a teacher in a government school in the coastal belt, was on Thursday set to visit a student to see if arrangements could be made for the child to view the online classes of the State government.
Viji said one in three students in her school did not have access to facilities for the classes. She had arranged for them to view recorded content on WhatsApp on the phones of their neighbours or relatives.
Her worry though was about a permanent solution.
The ‘trial’ factor
Parents and students were anxious about missing out on the online classes. Not many knew that the first two weeks were a trial. “It is not enough to start classes without making arrangements,” she said.
The Principal of a city school felt the classes had been launched without requisite preparation. “The government is asking us to report the number of students who do not have access to the facilities. But teachers have been having problems getting through to all students. One wonders if the government has not been a tad hasty.”
Results of a preliminary data collection were available with the government but local self-government institutions did not get time to make preparations, the Principal alleged.
However, the Principal of another school said there was need for exact data for arrangements to be put in place. Sponsors could also be handed over the data if it were at hand.
Teachers said a KITE order put the responsibility for making arrangements for the classes on them. The telecast should have not gone ahead if the facilities were not in place.
Tamil medium students
Students had been expressing doubts if they would even get to study in the next class. The quick start to the online classes had put to rest any such apprehensions, the Principal of a boys’ school said. A teacher of a high school said they were reaching out to Tamil medium students too through a daily wage teacher. One could not wait for the last student to get the facilities before starting online classes. Students of other education boards were also shifting to online mode.
Soft loans
General Education Secretary A. Shajahan said facilities existing in schools as part of the High-tech School project, in libraries, model anganwadis, and Akshaya centres would be used for students' benefit. Public sector units and local bodies had also agreed to sponsor equipment.
The KSFE was providing soft loans to Kudumbashree members for equipment purchase.
The services of tribal extension workers would be tapped for arranging facilities in tribal areas.
