Post-Covid phase: Muktsar admn launches remedial classes for kids to plug learning gaps

Spearheaded by deputy commissioner Vineet Kumar, the administration has taken on board all panchayats to make the initiative a success through community participation

Realising that the Covid pandemic caused unusual learning loss to students, Muktsar administration has come up with a novel module of remedial teaching at all 509 government-run schools in the district.

Muktsar deputy commissioner Vineet Kumar said over 22,000 students were selected for remedial classes on the basis of their academic records. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

Spearheaded by deputy commissioner Vineet Kumar, the administration has taken on board all panchayats to make the initiative a success through community participation.

District education authorities have roped in 509 trained teachers as volunteers for the special classes that are being held every day for two hours after regular schooltime.

Kumar said over 22,000 students were selected for remedial classes on the basis of their academic records.

“These students come from a humble socio-economic background and lack support of home learning. In the post-pandemic scenario, their academic work was hit further as it was seen that students in the government schools were facing difficulties in the classroom learning,” the DC said.

Keeping in view the ground situation, the administration planned to identify the weak students from classes 1-12 who could benefit from additional coaching.

“These volunteers were selected after a rigorous exercise undertaken by the school principals. Almost all of them hold BEd degrees and have teaching experience. Panchayats have also passed resolutions to pay a monthly honorarium of ₹3,000 to the volunteers,” the DC said.

Started in October, stakeholders, including parents, are expressing satisfaction with the academic exercise.

Khem Raj Garg, a senior physics teacher and principal of the Government Senior Secondary School at Virk Khera, said teachers initially had to struggle to sensitise parents about the “tuitions”.

“Several parents took time to understand why the school is holding free classes. The concept was actually needed to mitigate the deep learning gaps that emerged among the students due to the prolonged closure of schools and inaccessibility of the online classes for many of them,” Garg said.

A mother of three, who works as a mid-day meal worker, said the classes were proving to be helpful as her family of farm labourers had never planned to send their children to tuitions.

“My two daughters are good at studies, but the youngest son was not performing well. After two months of classes, my daughters have positively evaluated the records of their brother,” she added.

Another woman at Alamwala village said she could afford only one smartphone in her joint family, which has five children, during the school closures amid the Covid pandemic.

“Most of the time, they missed online classes and when regular classes restarted, they did not want to go to school. They say they do not understand class lessons. But we see a ray of hope as they have started showing interest in studies and teachers are also expressing satisfaction over their performance,” she added.

Another rural school at Bodiwala Kharak Singh has identified 41 students from classes 6-9 for extra coaching.

Students sit in a common room for remedial classes where assignments are given to them separately, said Mandeep Kaur, a volunteer.

“Schools have prepared a syllabus for every week and then tests are conducted to check the improvement of students. Those who had learning issues due to disrupted academic sessions in the last two years are showing improvement,” she added.

Principal of another school at Alamwala, Vikas Kumar, said students of remedial classes were even served snacks as an incentive for being regular.