No access to gadgets: How teachers in Jharkhand turned village into classroom

DUMKA: As schools are closed due to coronavirus since March, government school teachers in Dumka's Dumarthar village here have found a new way to impart education to students who do not have access to smartphones.

They created blackboards on the walls of students' houses to teach them while maintaining social distancing in the view of coronavirus.

"Education has been impacted due to Covid-19. Students here did not have smartphones. We started 'shiksha aapke dwaar' (education at your doorstep) to provide education to children while maintaining social distancing. More than 100 blackboards have been created on walls to teach students at their houses," a teacher told ANI.

Dumka deputy commissioner Rajeshwar B lauded the initiative and said that she will motivate other teachers to adopt this method.

"Our teachers are adopting new methods. Since schools are closed, content is being sent to students on WhatsApp. But in many areas, there are no smartphones at students' houses. This initiative should be lauded. We will motivate other teachers to adopt this," she said.

Speaking about her experience, Parvati, a student of class 6 said, "Our schools are closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so we study in our village itself. Our teachers explain to us the concepts that we do not understand and clear our doubts."

Schools and educational institutions in the country are closed in the country since March. However, in the Unlock 4 guidelines, the ministry of home affairs said that students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on a voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers and this will be subject to the written consent of their parents or guardians.