Tripura will begin Neighbourhood Classes for students who can not study online (representational)
Tripura government has decided to start neighbourhood classes for students who are not able to attend online classes. The plans to conduct neighbourhood classes have to be chalked out by August 18 and the classes will begin from August 20, 2020.
The initiative is students who could not take the benefit of the digital initiatives being run by the School Education Department.
"While the Education (School) Department has been providing some academic inputs to the students through televised and online classes in order to keep the students productively engaged during the present lockdown situation. However due to Digital Divide existing in the state, many of the students could not take the benefit of the digital initiative taken by the Department."
"Now it is being considered to start neighbourhood classes by the concerned school teachers to further help the students learn their syllabus with the help of their teachers till the schools are opened for regular classes."
Earlier this week, state Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath had said that a survey conducted by his department in all the eight districts showed that 29 per cent (94,013) of the 3.22 lakh students did not have mobile phones and around 44 per cent (1.42 lakh) of the students did not have access to television.
"Since these students can't avail our ongoing classes, we have decided to start neighbourhood classes with 1:5 teacher student ratio, mostly in remote areas," Nath had said.
The Department has also released guidelines which must be followed while conducting neighbourhood classes.
For neighbourhood classes, a group of not more than five students from the same locality has to be created. Similar groups may be formed for students appearing for Bachchar Bachao Scheme. Teachers will go to these localities for conducting classes.
Each school teacher will take two classes in a day and duration of each class will be for 1.5 to two hours. Each teacher will have to cover at least two groups in a day.
Classes will be taught as per the reduced syllabus notified by SCERT and by Tripura Board for classes 9 to 12.
The class has to be held in an open space within the locality of the students' residence for each group. Social distancing norms must be followed during the classes. All students and teachers must compulsorily wear protective masks and to wash their hands at regular intervals with soap or sanitizers.
No child with any kind of illness shall attend the classes and parents' consent must be taken before sending their wards for neighbourhood classes.
Since periodic assessment - I and half yearly exam will not be conducted this year, a monthly test of 10 marks for each subject must be conducted in neighbourhood classes. In case these classes are not possible for any school student, that must be informed to the respective DEOs.
(With Inputs from PTI)