Tech-savvy lessons

The e-learning project was initiated six years ago after the Bombay Mothers and Children Welfare Society,based in Parel,first introduced computer education. Founded in 1919,the Society has been involved in rural development initiatives in Rajgurunagar over the past decade.

“We began an MS-CIT centre six years ago and started training school teachers in using computers.

E-learning was the next step. We started it as a pilot project in eight schools in a tribal pada last year and it was successful. We decided to extend it to schools across the taluka,” said Dr Madhav Sathe,honourary secretary of the Society.

The first phase has reached out to around 10,500 children from classes I-X. “In the next six months,we hope to cover 114 schools. We hope to eventually cover all schools in the taluka,” he said. There are 437 government schools in the taluka.

Sandeep Jadhav,36,principal of a Thakar Wadi Zilla Parishad Primary School,said the technology has come as a boon for teachers. “There is only one other teacher apart from me and together,we have to teach four classes — I to IV. The children have become so adept at handling the equipment that they can operate it even when we aren’t present. They start their daily lessons even before we enter the classroom,” he said.

He said attendance had increased sharply since e-learning techniques were introduced. “Earlier,we often had to go to the children’s houses and bring them to school. But now,attendance is between 95 and 100 per cent. Teachers say ‘back-benchers’ have turned over a new leaf. They are now eager to occupy front seats. The quality of written answers has also improved,” he said.

“We used to find it difficult to explain mathematical theories and scientific experiments to the children but when they watch it on screen,they understand easily,” he added.

“We have found that concentration levels in the classroom have improved. When children see an eclipse or actually watch Mahatma Gandhi walking in Dandi,they understand and remember those incidents better,” said Sathe.

The Society has ensured that the equipment is properly maintained by making the community a stakeholder. “We have charged each family a nominal fee of Rs 10 for maintenance. They were cooperative,” Sathe said.

Jadhav said the use of technology has brought some dropouts back to school. “Most of the families living there are involved in seasonal labour work. After monsoon,truckloads of people leave the taluka to look for work 50-60 km away. Parents often take their children along,causing them to drop out of school. But now,some children have refused to accompany their parents and are staying back to study,” he said.

Sathe said exposure to technology from a young age would also help in narrowing the urban-rural divide. “When the time comes for them to look for jobs,they will be as equipped as their urban counterparts,” he said.

srinath.rao@expressindia.com