LUCKNOW: When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country last year forcing closure of schools, there were teachers who made sure that learning did not come to a grinding halt.
A few of them turned out to be silent heroes who helped the underprivileged by using alternatives to regular classroom study. On Teacher’s Day, TOI profiles the unsung teachers who brought about a change amid pandemic.
Hansmukhi, a 44-year-old head teacher at a primary school in Sarsawa block of Saharanpur district went door-to-door convincing parents to allow their kids for a free class every day. “Most kids in our village do not have smart phones. So, I began taking classes over phone. Kids enjoyed and they were ready for notes,” she said. She even bought notebooks and got learning material printed.
For 45-year-old Mithilesh Mishra, closure of schools never made a difference. She got students together and held open-air class in Ikauna block of Shravasti district. “There was no open area near our school. So we decided to sit under a tree near a temple where physical distancing can be followed,” said Mithilesh.
Jyoti Kumari, 41, made use of technology and ensured that no student of English medium upper primary school in Koilara block of Bhadohi is deprived of learning material. “At my own expense, I got printed all worksheets and travelled to school weekly to distribute them among students. I was delighted to see students who came just to take and submit the worksheet,” she said.
“Many teachers in UP reached out to students during school closure to ensure continuity of learning. They grabbed every opportunity overcame all obstacles,” said UNICEF’s education specialist Ritwik Patra.
