As smartphones and Internet remain out of reach for many students belonging to the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste communities, the Odisha government has devised a ‘Teacher Mentor Programme’ to keep these students connected to the learning process.
“In order to ensure regular human interaction, enable social caring measures, and address possible psychosocial challenges that children and adolescents are likely to face under the extraordinary situation, Alternate Learning and Mentor Teacher Programme has been devised,” said an official from the ST and SC Development department.
He said mentor teachers would reach out to students staying home in their villages. As many as 21,239 tribal villages have been mapped, while 4,467 teachers have been identified to directly connect with students.
“It is expected that this exercise of alternate learning and teacher mentor programme will keep the students connected to the learning process in remote villages,” said the official. According to the department, the initiative will make the transition back to school after a long gap easier for children.
The programmme will cater to the educational needs of about 6 lakh ST and SC students from standard II to standard X in 1,731 residential schools.
For students who have access to the Internet, WhatsApp groups were formed, through which e-content that maps to the curriculum of classes II-X has been collated as per the schedule and timetable developed centrally. The content is prepared by the State Resource Group and transmitted to WhatsApp numbers of District Resource Groups for further transmission to schools and students.
Audio and visual learning resource material is also being uploaded to supplement the lessons prescribed in the syllabi for standard II-X in ‘e-Suvidya’, the department's dedicated Youtube channel.