‘Kalika Habba’ aids average learners

Mangaluru: ‘Kalika Habba’, held across the taluks of Dakshina Kannada is helping in enhancing academic and skill learning among average and below-average learners in government schools.
The initiative has been launched to bridge the learning gap among children following the discontinuation of offline classes during the pandemic. Most of these children selected for the ‘Kalika Habba’ in each cluster are considered below-average or average students. The festival of learning is held in each cluster of block education offices with support from locals and teachers.
Sadananda AD Poonja, BEO (north), told STOI that eight clusters out of 15 have completed holding the fest. The event is held for two days and 120 students from government schools in its jurisdiction participate in each cluster. The festival is conducted by 15 resource persons, who are mostly government school teachers and trained at the district level. Teachers who teach in grades four to nine are eligible to participate. The festival paves the way for happy and interesting learning, in addition to innovative teaching, he added.
Each BEO has come up with unique events to make ‘Kalika Habba’ successful and meaningful. According to Shambhu Shankar, coordinator at the Block resource center in Belthangady which has 19 clusters. He said, ”Some schools started the event with a grand procession around the village with a band and music. In Gerukatte school, children were dressed as Rani Abakka and other freedom fighters,” said Shankar, adding that 50% of the clusters have held the festival so far.
The aspects of the festival include ‘Adu-Hadu,’ which improves language and helps in becoming physically fit. ‘Kagada-Kattari-Banna’, activity-based learning, ‘Madu-Adu’ to help children improve in Science and Mathematics and ‘Ooru Suttona’, where children are made to learn from nature, interview people, and engage in a wide range of non-academic activities. Children interviewed bank officials in one of the clusters to learn about banking. In each cluster, 120 students are divided into four groups. Each group participates in one of the activities for half a day.
Meanwhile, respective BEOs will send selected students to participate in the district-level ‘Kalika Habba’ that will be held soon.