A government-run Prathmik Uchtar Madhyamik Vidyalay in neighbouring Kaushambi district has set an example for other rural government schools by starting online teaching during the lockdown.
Remotely located in Laudhana gram sabha of Sarsawan development block, the school has started online classes through WhatsApp by making a group of 127 students, out of the school’s total strength of 455 students.
The school principal Pankaj Singh, who had taken the initiative to start online teaching, said that availability of smart phones in every house in a remote village was something impossible but now it was picking up.
The principal said, “I started with just 6 students in the first week of this month. Today, the strength of students has swelled up to 127. Children, not having smart phones in their homes, are gradually getting connected to the school group through phones of relatives or neighbours.”
“Every day, I receive calls from my students to add phone numbers of their relatives or neighbours, having smart phones. It is encouraging,” he added.
According to the school principal, online teaching is being done in four subjects-English, Hindi, Mathematics and Science- besides tasks in Arts subjects were also being given to students.
“Students first receive videos of lecture by teachers and subsequently they are asked questions and they have to write answers in their respective subject note books. Once the school opens, notebooks would be corrected by teachers concerned. Presently there are four teachers in the school,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“Students first receive videos of lecture by teachers and subsequently they are asked questions and they have to write answers in their respective subject note books. Once the school opens, notebooks would be corrected by teachers concerned. Presently there are four teachers in the school,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Assistant basic shiksha adhikari, Sarsawa block, Kauskambi Mithilesh Kumar said the initiative had set an example for other primary and upper primary schools to follow as in present time of lockdown, online teaching was the only mode and slowly the rural population would also have to turn to it.