Dharwad teachers take school to students' doorsteps

At a time when heated debates are going on across India on whether to reopen schools and colleges in the time of Covid-19, a group of 15 teachers in Chikkamalligawada in Dharwad district have taken schools to the doorsteps of the students.

The government higher primary school in Chikkamalligawada carters to the educational needs of three villages including Hiremalligawada and Janatha plot. In the last academic year, there were 412 students studying in this school, which has 14 teachers and headmistresses.

“As per the government orders we started coming to schools, but after 15 days there was not much work,” said school headmistresses Mahadevi Doddamani and added that the teachers had a meeting with School Development & Monitoring Committee (SDMC) in this regard. The teachers convinced the committee members and parents that by following all the safety norms the teachers can teach lessons to students in their area.

As per the decision, each of the 15 students started visiting the streets where students were. Every day they have been engaging the students from class 1 to 7 between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. The classes are held six days a week, with subject teachers visiting each area on a rotation basis. As of now, the students are being taught Kannada, English, Mathematics and other subjects.

The teachers have been maintaining strict social distancing, wearing of masks is compulsory, and the students sanitise their hands regularly.

“In the last academic year, there were 412 students studying in our schools. However, now 180 students are attending the classes. Majority of the absent students have left for their natives or sent for cattle raring by their parents. Efforts are being made to bring them back,” said Mahadevi.

Speaking to DH, SDMC President Ravi Hosamani said the members and parents agreed for this arrangement as we did not want students to miss on getting educated. Without school, they would have gone for work. The SDMC has collected the mobile numbers of all the high school students and are imparting classes through online. A few of the teachers have gone for SSLC evaluation, so those teachers are giving classes through WhatsApp. He said all the teachers have been co-operating and conducting classes efficiently.