Smart learning in Ludhiana schools: Novel concept has students glued, teachers find them easier to handle

“Naani Teri Morni ko Mor Le gaye, baki jo bacha tha kale chor le gaye…”.. All 40-odd students at Government Primary School in Dholan, a village in Dhakha constituency, have eyes glued on the projector in their class, engrossed in audio-visuals of the animated rhyme, in all colour.

For the students, it’s a new-found 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 Canada-based 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 & 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 can play with the app and explain the concept to students. The equipment, installed for free in the schools, costs Rs 18,000 to Mohali-based company, Datawind.

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.

‘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 controlling the students and to discipline them. 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 are imparted studies through a TV and they feel happy. Studying was never this much fun,” 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 or the concept of a smart classroom. NRIs contribute the majority of the funds to this school. “Our idea was to focus on quality 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.