Bhadrachalam: ITDA starts online classes to save academic year

Bhadrachalam: Hoping to save the academic year for tribal students, the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) for the first time came with online teaching modules under tribal sub-plan. After observing that tribal students are backward in education when compared to those of corporate schools, which already started online teaching to their students, the ITDA officials have decided to take up online teaching on par with corporate schools to the students of sixth to ninth classes in all ashram and Gurukul schools in the erstwhile Khammam district.

The officials have developed an app 'OAKS' and asked the students, who have android phone, to install it from play store. Out of 9,000 tribal students studying from 6 to 9 classes, only 700 students are attending the online classes and 6,937 students are installing the app in their android phones, the officers informed.

The ITDA officials have set up a separate cell to monitor the online teaching system at Deputy Director's office and planning everything from there. The entire online teaching is in English medium only. Maths, physics, biology and chemistry subjects were included in the app and schedule was given to all students. Subject teacher will be available online to clear the students' doubts, if they have any.

Speaking to The Hans India, ITDA Project Officer P Goutham said ITDA Bhadrachalam has introduced this type of programme for the first time and their initiative of online teaching to save the academic year for ashram and gurukul schools under ITDA limits is yielding good results. Goutham said the students are showing interest and actively taking the online teaching.

"At the initial stage, only maths, physics and biological science subjects were introduced. If this is successful, then the officials are planning to add some more subjects," he said and added that Deputy Director and eight staff members are observing the system round-the-clock.

A seventh class student, Madakam Padma from Narayanaraopet village in Dummagudem mandal said that it was really a good and new experience and the teaching is going on well.

Another student of class 8, Kursam Aleena of Lacchigudem village of same mandal said "In fact we are able to learn easily through online classes and teachers also clearing our doubts through online'".