Poor picture of education in Darbha, Bastanar freezing growth of children
| Date :21-Sep-2020 |
The poor Koleng-Darbha road that prevents teachers from reaching out to their students for mohalla classes.
By Partha Sarathi Behera :
Raipur,
Over 50% children in Darbha, Bastanar blocks are cut off from education world
70-80% primary and middle school students are reaping benefits of offline classes, while over 50 per cent HS and HSS students are cut off from edn
More than 50 per cent children studying in the schools of Darbha and Bastanar development blocks of Bastar district are deprived of education since schools were closed by State Government to ensure children are not infected by Covid-19 pandemic. None of the State Government’s schemes, including ambitious ‘Padhai Tuhar Dwar’ and other innovations, has been able to cater the need of children studying in the schools of Koleng, Bhadrimunda, Kudumkhorda, Kalapara and schools of other remote panchayats in the development block, said teachers in the development block.
There are multiple reasons why education, be it online or offline in the form of mohalla classes, has failed to deliver desired results in these panchayats. For the last six-seven months, more than 50 per cent children in the block are almost cut off from the education world, claimed the teachers. Online classes are not feasible for students in these remote forest regions as poor network has been a major problem. Moreover, teachers are unable to reach out to their respective students because of poor connectivity and transportation, said teachers.
Citing the condition of Koleng-Darbha road, a teacher said that the ‘kachha’ road prevents teachers from reaching out to students in Koleng and other panchayats. As it is a rainy reason, the only road has turned muddy making it extremely difficult to cover kilometers for running ‘mohalla’ classes. Similarly, alternate route through Kanger nullah is closed due to overflowing of water in the nullah. When asked about the condition of Koleng-Darbha road, teachers said that work on the road was stopped two years back when Naxalites killed the contractor. Moreover, many teachers and students do not even have smartphones which are must for online classes.
Children of Koleng, Bhadrimuna, Kudumkhodra, Kalapara and many other far-flung panchayats are deprived of education since lockdown was imposed in March, 2020. Teachers said that online classes remain a distant dream for students here while mohalla classes are possible when road connectivity becomes proper in the regions. Bastar District Education Officer Rajendra Jha said that they are more inclined towards offline classes, in Koleng and Bastanar development blocks particularly, due to poor network and lack of technical knowledge among people of the region. Moreover, smart phones cannot be afforded by all parents, said the DEO. “Still we are able to teach 70-80 per cent primary and middle school students through loudspeaker and mohalla classes. As far as Koleng-Darbha road is concerned, we have teachers in Koleng to teach students through mohall classes.
We have asked to stay in Koleng because of the poor connectivity. We have appointed volunteers in the form of 10th and 12th pass students who are helping primary and middle school students,” said the DEO. The DEO however admitted to the fact that more than 50 per cent students of high school and higher secondary school students are deprived of education in Darbha and some other blocks. “While some areas are facing a shortage of teachers and some are almost cut off from the rest of the world. Moreover, we are unable to find volunteers for teaching these students,” said the DEO. A private cable operator has dedicated a channel for the purpose. “We are recording the high school and higher secondary school study materials during the teaching so that we can distribute it to schools, deprived of current education methods, in the form of CDs,” concluded the DEO.