‘Lockdown schools’ raise hope for those without internet or smartphones in West Bengal

With schools being shut in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and consequent lockdown, online classes have emerged as an option for a section of students. But what about those who can neither afford internet connection nor a smartphone? For them hundreds of teachers from across West Bengal have started to hold unofficial classes in open grounds and gardens so that absence of regular classes in schools can be compensated.

The informal schools, often affectionately called as “lockdown schools” by locals, involve about 16,000 teachers and more than 5 lakh students across the state. The initiative, a brainchild of Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, focuses mainly focuses on students belonging to the financially weaker section of the society.

“It was the Education Minister who requested us to hold such informal classes for students who can’t avail online education. These classes are held in open grounds or garden and social distancing is strictly maintained,” Jhuma Saha, one of the teachers from East Bardhaman district told DH.

The students are provided with soap and water to ensure hand hygiene, said Saha. Wearing masks is mandatory in such classes.

One of the key focus of the initiative is students living in remote tribal areas of the state with barely any internet connection. One such area is Salboni in West Medinipur district. The students here are poor that they can’t even imagine buying a smart phone let alone have an internet connection, said a teacher involved in the initiative.

They have lost the habit of studying as schools are shut due to the pandemic. But now with the informal classes being held with once or twice weak their studies are back on track.

The teachers even go door to door in backward areas to request the guardians of students to send them to the classes. They said that they convince the parents that social distancing will be maintained in the classes so thee is nothing to be afraid of. The response so far has been very positive, the teachers said.