Assam: Barpeta teachers visit students' homes

GUWAHATI: With uncertainty persisting on resumption of classes in schools, Barpeta district in lower Assam has launched a pioneering move by issuing official instruction to all the government-run school teachers in elementary and secondary level to pay visit to the homes of the students to take classes.
The decision was taken in the lower Assam district after receiving complaints from various quarters that the online classes have failed to have an impact on most of the students due to poor mobile connectivity or lack of smartphones with the students. Education officials said that the decision has yielded fruitful results, even as several areas of the district remain inundated by flood waters.
In Barpeta, there are 1,962 elementary schools, whereas the number of high schools and higher secondary schools is 303. The number of elementary schools in Barpeta is second highest among districts in Assam, after Kamrup.
Despite the floods having severely hit the interior areas of the district where the major chunk of elementary schools are located, over 500 primary school teachers have started going to the homes of the students to impart the lessons, said district elementary education officer (DEEO), Ratul Kumar Das. "Especially in rural parts of the state, it is very difficult to impart lessons through the online mode to elementary students. Many of the guardians don't want their kids to use smartphones. Also, many financially poor families cannot afford to buy smartphones for their kids to sit for the online classes. So after discussing with the district authorities, it has been decided to start the teaching and learning process by officially asking the teachers to go to the homes of the students," he said.
Inspector of schools, Barpeta, Phulendra Kalita, said that the high school and higher secondary school teachers have been directed to teach about two students at one time while maintaining proper distancing. He said that prime focus is on the students who are going to appear in the Class 10 and 12 board exams next year.
"Maximum two students are allowed to be taught at once in view of the Covid situation. We felt that the progress of the students cannot be ensured fully if teachers don't start interacting with the students physically. Because they feel confident in learning face-to-face and not through online mode," said Kalita.