Pune,August 21, 2020 (VUCCD News)
Covid-19 has changed the teaching-learning experience and online education is the keyword today. Maharashtra based Active Teachers’ Forum (ATF) — comprising teachers, researchers, and activists in Maharashtra — recently conducted a survey in government schools in rural and urban areas of the State for a study titled ‘Digital Access’.
The study revealed that only 27 per cent parents of the students surveyed in 1,186 schools had smartphones. Out of the total 1.67 lakh students, only 11.61 per cent had laptops or desktops at home. In urban areas, only 14 per cent of parents had smartphones, compared to 20 per cent in rural areas.
Unavailability of the smartphone is hindering the education of poor kids in urban and rural areas. But students and good samaritans have not lost hope.
Pradeep Lokhande, Pune based social entrepreneur, founder of Rural Relations recently started the project ‘yoMobile’.
The idea is to collect phones and donate them to the needy students. “ Don’t throw or sell unwanted phones, donate it to a school of your choice” says Lokhande. He takes the 100 per cent responsibility that the cell reaches the needy student.
“ Unless and until two hands will not come together, there will be no noise” Lokhande told this reporter.
He has more than 12000 needy students list which will definitely grow with the time. Lokhande says that with society’s support poor children will be able to continue their studies.
(Pic courtesy – AIR, Pune twitter https://twitter.com/airnews_pune/status/1296460265094033414)
The hut is her online classroom!
Swapnali Sutar , a college student from Kankavali in Konkan region of Maharashtra is a determined student. As there is no internet range in her village she attends online classes in a makeshift hut built by her brother. The hut is two km away from her house and she used to attend classes taking an umbrella on this spot. Her brother came for help and built the hut for the sister. This is her online classroom.
By Mohini Sharma (Student), Second year, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Vishwakarma University, Pune.
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