GIMS is being packaged for employees of Central and state government departments and organisations for intra and inter organisation communications. (Representational)
With over 19,000 government schools in Punjab closed for over two months due to the pandemic outbreak, the state Education Department had rolled out ‘Ghar Baithe Sikhyia’ using technology-enabled learning for affected students. On Saturday, it took direct feedback on the programme from around 8 lakh parents who joined the “virtual Parent Teacher Meeting” on phone calls that involved 60,000 teachers from 6,000 secondary school sections dialing up parents.
The challenges being faced by the parents to keep their wards occupied as well as their suggestions to make the scheme more effective were noted down during these phone calls.
“The uncertainty around the future is an added worry to most of the parents. However, discussing these challenges with the teachers provided relief to many parents, who felt that their child’s school is interested in the well being of the family during these trying times” said Chanchal, Science teacher, Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS), Daulatpur (Nawanshahr), while sharing their experiences of interaction with the parents during the virtual PTM.
Sunita, a parent from Ludhiana who told a teacher about her daughter’s – a Class 10 student — routine, said: “She sits in front of the TV every day and works on her assignments. I am happy her study is continuing.”
Virtual classes for government school students are underway through various mediums including DD Punjabi, Swayam Prabha, All India Radio, Chan Pardesi, Doaba Radio channels etc. are going on along with studies via social media tools like WhatsApp, YouTube and Facebook.
“I spoke to the parents of the students of my school, who were quite happy to know that the school is taking pains to keep the study of their children regular even during difficult times,” shared Balkaran Kaur from GSSS, Kauli (Patiala) and Meenakshi Aggarwal, from GSSS Ayali Khurd (Ludhiana).
“The pandemic has made it imperative for the schools and parents to work together as one unit to ensure the well being of the children and tide over the difficult time, and the Virtual PTM has created a platform to facilitate just that”, said Amarjit Khatkar, principal of Mukandpur (SBS Nagar) government senior secondary school. Most of the parents have expressed their satisfaction over the ” Ghar Parampreet Singh, a teacher from Amloh (Fatehgarh Sahib) government school said that most parents appreciated the Sikhyia programme.
“Parents said that with the start of virtual classes through DD Punjabi, the students have got easy access to the facility which was not possible through the smartphones to some students,” said Naveen Gulati, Headmaster, government higher secondary school, Garcha (SBS Nagar).
He added that even those studying at private schools were beneffiting from this facility.