Novel concept has students glued, teachers find them easier to handle
DAKHA (LUDHIANA): “Naani Teri Morni ko Mor Le gaye, baki jo bacha tha kale chor le gaye…”.. The 40-odd students at Government Primary School in Dholan, a village in Dakha constituency, have eyes glued on the projector in their class, engrossed in audio-visuals of the animated rhyme, in all colour, on Thursday.
For the students, it’s a newfound interest in studies and the teachers confess getting their wards to study was never this easy.
The village is one of the 117 schools in Dakha constituency where MLA HS Phoolka, in collaboration with Canadabased NRI, Suneet Singh Tuli, has started the concept of smart classrooms for the past two months. The school has 127 students, the majority belonging to families of labourers or those employed in brick kilns in Ludhiana.
A SCREEN, A LAPTOP AND CUSTOMISED APPS
To date, 25 of 117 government primary schools in the constituency have smart classrooms and the MLA aims to install these in all schools by next month.
Showcasing latest technologies to students from rural areas and to impart education via audiovisual methods as the aim, the set up includes a screen and a laptop with specially prepared apps. Teachers explain concepts using the app. The equipment, installed for free in the schools, costs ₹18,000 to Mohali-based company, Datawind.
‘ONE-HOUR A DAY, STUDENTS EAGER’
From ebooks pertaining to syllabus to educative slides, pictorial stories and learning letters, teachers can upload syllabus on the ‘Padho Punjab’ app that comes inbuilt with on the laptop provided to them.
“Previously, it was difficult to discipline students. Now, they are eager to study and keep asking teachers that when will they be taken to smart classrooms. We have designated one-hour a day to these classes,” said Manjeet Kaur, head teacher, Government Primary School, Dholan.
Ramandeep, 9, a Class-3 student of the school, says she had never seen a screen and the concept is novel for her. “I tell my parents that we study through a TV and they feel happy,” she added.
‘NEVER HEARD OF A PROJECTOR’
At Government Primary School in Pandori village, 20-km from Dholan, the equipment for the smart classroom is in the process of being installed in the library. The 90-odd students have never heard of a projector. NRIs contribute the majority of the funds. “Our idea was to focus on education for primary class students who do not have access to modern technology. A number of NRIs have come forward to offer the concept in their villages in other districts,” says Phoolka.