The nationwide lockdown hit the vulnerable community the most. There are many lives on hold. Millions of children from poor families studying in government and municipal schools in the country are staring at disorders in their studies without access to mobiles, Internet and laptops or desktops. Farana Tamboli, education coordinator, Miracle Foundation India, speaks to The Daily Guardian and talks about challenges, steps and future of underprivileged children’s education in India.
Q. What are the challenges faced by underprivileged children in terms of education during this pandemic?
A. The biggest challenge being faced by these kids is a lack of access and knowledge of technology. Especially for the children who have gone back home, connectivity is a big issue as well due to poor internet access. There is also a lack of awareness about online education and elearning opportunities within the community. Additionally, several children and their families do not have smartphones. In some cases, the children are also facing a shortage of educational aids like books, stationery, etc. Regular education was disrupted suddenly in the month of March. Uncertainty of when their classes will resume has also led to anxiety amongst the children which we are helping them through by providing counselling support.
Q. What topics are covered under the education programme being run by your NGO?
A. We are giving priority to ensure that no child drops out of education during this time. We are making efforts to keep the children engaged in educational activities. Teachers, trainers, and instructors are conducting sessions remotely. The children have access to the computer lab and some children who have gone home have smartphones. For the children who do not have smartphones, we are attempting to get donors to support them for the same. Computer classes are being held online by the computer instructor through Skype or Zoom. Revision of syllabus taught prior to the pandemic is also done. Wherever possible, aptitude testing, career counselling is also continuing online. Online career counselling has especially been conducted for children who have taken their 10th class examinations. Children are encouraged to take up online spoken English courses and brush up their conversational skills. Smart classes are being conducted remotely by coaching teachers. They connect through WhatsApp group or video calls and guide the children through their lessons.
Q. Tell us about the methods/steps being taken to teach the students during the lockdown.
A. Peer group learning is being practiced for the younger kids within the Child Care Institute (CCI) along with having the older children guiding them. House parents are also involved in the process of engaging the kids to prevent a setback in academic progress or a loss of interest in studying. Social workers conduct quiz, debates, art and craft sessions, story reading sessions, dance and drama competitions to keep the children productively occupied. All activities are conducted keeping in mind the social distancing norms. Coaching teachers record their lessons and post them on WhatsApp groups. The children then study through these videos, note down their queries and send these to the teachers in the form of written messages or short videos. For those who do not have smartphones, the teachers assign homework by SMS. A lot of the kids who have gone back to their families do not have phones and often use their neighbour’s phones. To ensure that the children are engaged, we also ask them to make videos representing different topics like their hobbies, showcasing talent, etc. Additionally, computer instructors are conducting sessions on cyber bullying and security.
Q. What safety precautions are you taking to avoid risks of Covid-19 infection?
A. We are actively taking measures to create awareness regarding hygiene and social distancing to keep the children and staff safe. Repeated training and awareness sessions are being conducted on Covid-19, the importance of hand-washing and social distancing, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene, and frequent sanitisation of campus. In many CCIs, the local doctors conducted these sessions. The CCI staff is supervising and ensuring that all learnings from these training are implemented and the same is followed during mealtimes and other activities. We conduct WASH programmes (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) in all CCIs as a series of training modules and follow-up is being conducted remotely