‘Nagaland Government trying to bridge gap in digital education’

Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 5 (EMN): Educational institutions have been listed under prohibited activities even in the third phase of the lockdown, nearing almost two months of closure.

As reopening of schools and colleges seem a far cry at the moment, Principal Director of School Education Shanavas C informed that digital learning has been going on and the department is working to ensure that no students are left behind.

Interacting with media persons on Tuesday, he stated that the department at first had requested all the schools to use social media platforms, stating that it was ‘very practical,’ where over 200 private schools had come forward making use of the same.

He however admitted that government schools have missed classes since the students could not participate in that mode of education.

He said that the department has come up with digital lessons in the form of video and audio lessons with a three-hour slot on Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR). They began pre-recording from April 30 and commencement of telecast and broadcasting began from May 1 and May 2 subsequently.

The official stated that there are five lectures in a day, with 30 minutes each covering classes 8, 9, 10 and 12, with a schedule up to May 30.

He maintained that the department will plan more, and asserted that students must be benefitted even during the lockdown through the visual and audio lessons.

Responding to a report by Eastern Mirror about the digital divide of education during lockdown, the principal director maintained that some remote areas are not digitally accessible since service providers like TataSky and others do not telecast DD Kohima, except DD Northeast.

He said that the government had written to the ministry and service providers to give a slot for DD Kohima during the period.

The principal director said that the department was trying to make use of other social media pages like Facebook and YouTube channel by uploading the lessons after the telecast so that students who missed or do not have access to a television can watch and learn through it.

“The response is really good,” he said while speaking about the response of the students to the digital lessons. He stated that the YouTube channel got a huge number of subscribers and viewers in a few days’ time, wherein he claimed that there were reports from students outside the state referring to the videos.

He stated that the department had also written to the deputy commissioners of every district to request the village authorities to arrange the facilities for the students so that no student is left out.

He added that the department is planning to work out some arrangements even for students of lower sections if the lockdown continues for a longer duration. ‘If not all the subjects, at least some important subjects,” he said.

Responding to the news of certain schools in the state asking parents for lunch fees to pay the salaries of the teachers, the principal director maintained that the department had not taken any concrete decision but stated that it will address the issue.

Shanavas also informed that the department would work out another academic calendar if the lockdown continues for longer and if classes cannot start because of the lockdown.

He stated that if classes resume by the first week of June, the department can ‘somehow manage the academic lessons by cutting off summer break and making use of Saturdays so as to compensate the classes missed’.

25,000 stranded persons outside Nagaland

The officer, who was also assigned by the state government to monitor and oversee the citizens of Nagaland stranded in other states, had on Tuesday informed that there were about 25,000 people stranded outside the state, out of which majority are working professionals.

He informed that the government will be including one more application in the website “Returnees declaration form” and once it is launched, stranded persons outside the state will have to fill up the same so that logistic arrangements can be made accordingly.

He also maintained that the government is working on modalities and said, “Something should happen at least next week.”