Teachers’ pep talk on phone to prep kids for life post lockdown

As schools in the state were shut down before imposition of the lockdown, teachers conducting online classes have taken additional responsibility of contacting their students once in two days to boost their morale.

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The Block Education Officers (BEOs) are monitoring this activity and teachers have been provided with contact numbers of all their students.

“Once a week, teachers have to report to us about this activity. In case students need psychological support, we will provide them help through counsellors,” said one of the BEOs.

“I feel so happy while speaking to my students. We teachers really miss them during vacation and this is a big crisis. We are worried about the children’s physical and mental health,” said Netravati S S, a teacher with a government school in Bengaluru south.

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The department devised the activity mainly to help SSLC students who are preparing for their board exams, which were postponed due to the lockdown.

“Students are under stress. They have no idea when the exams will be conducted and have lost interest to prepare for them. One call from a teacher will definitely boost their morale,” said a senior official from the department.

“Teachers have to follow up on their calls. In case students have doubts regarding SSLC syllabus, they need to clear the same,” the official said.

“It is an unexpected situation and we all need to help our children overcome it,” says Kavya Bhog, another teacher.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S Suresh Kumar said, “Our teachers are in touch with students and helping them to overcome this situation and also boosting their morale. BEOs are monitoring this activity at block level.”