Students living in villages amid thick forests and hilly areas are worried about their studies this year as online classes are particular hard to access for them. A majority cannot afford smart phones and data, and even those who can afford the gadget do not get Internet access easily. Sometimes, getting a normal phone is difficult in the hilly areas of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Shivamogga districts.
The State government has given clearance to schools to hold online classes for students from 45 minutes to two hours daily, with sufficient breaks between the sessions. Many private schools, located in urban localities, have begun classes. Using mobile-based applications, teachers are conducting classes, and sometimes pre-recorded classes are also shared.
Srilakshmi, guest faculty at the Government First Grade College at Kalasa in Mudigere taluk, was asked to conduct online classes for her students. Among the 53 students in her class, barely 15 could manage to log in. “There were days when I taught only one student online. It does not work out in rural areas,” she said.
Private telecom service providers rarely have network in rural areas. BSNL provides high-speed broadband connections to gram panchayats and other offices in rural areas. However, for online classes, high-speed data is essential. “Forget in rural areas, there are many issues within urban localities. A speed of about 25 Mbps is necessary for streaming high-definition video. Many in the city and on the outskirts are not getting it,” said a person working with a telecom service provider who did not wish to be named.
Meeting on connectivity
Elected representatives also have taken note of this problem. MLA for Sorab Kumar Bangarappa said many villages in his constituency hardly get access to the Internet. “I recently held a meeting with officers and service providers on this issue. They have agreed to put up towers to strengthen services. However, it is difficult to provide access in forest areas and hilly terrains. I hope we come out of this pandemic situation soon,” he told The Hindu.
MP for Shivamogga B.Y. Raghavendra also held a meeting with mobile network operators earlier this week. He asked the operators to improve their services. In Shivamogga district, there are 241 BSNL towers while 37 belong to private operators. “The operators have to install towers in areas not covered so far. The district administration will resolve issues, if any, related to availability of space to put up towers,” he said at the meeting.
Watch TV, do homework
The parents of Srisutha, a class 7 student at Mundagodu in Sringeri taluk, were in shock on Thursday when they received a message on their mobile phone from the school. The student was asked to watch audio-visual classes telecast on DD-Chandana and do the homework assigned at the end of each class without fail. Besides this, he was told to carry the completed homework to get Transfer Certificate from the school as he required it to get admission to high school.
He has completed class 7 at the Government Higher Primary School at Kunchebailu village. Now he has to join a high school. His father, Srinivasa Murthy, told The Hindu, “We do not have a TV set at home. It is a conscious decision not to have it at home. How can my son follow the classes on TV and do homework?”
Mr. Murthy said the government was insisting that everyone purchase a TV and mobile phone. “I am opposed to this very idea. People who can afford to buy it will do so. But what about those people struggling to earn two meals a day?” he asked.
He maintained that online classes would be helpful for students of higher classes, but not primary or high school students. “I am teaching my children agriculture. I grow pepper, coffee, and areca. Let us spend these days teaching the skills that parents can impact to their children,” he said.