OdishaPlus Bureau
The ST & SC Development Department has initiated an ‘Alternate Learning and Mentorship Programme’ to cater to the educational needs of about 6 Lakh ST/SC students from Std II-Std X in 1731 residential schools. A series of deliberations with departmental officials and civil society organizations were done and a detailed strategy was developed.
The strategy primarily took into account different target groups. For students who have access to the internet: – Whatsapp groups were formed through which e-content that maps the curriculum of St II-X students has been collated and created as per the schedule/timetable developed centrally.
The e-Content is pushed in a cascading manner to end-users (ST/SC students) registered in various WhatsApp groups at the school level. The e-content is centrally prepared by the State Resource Group and transmitted to WhatsApp numbers of District Resource Groups for onward transmission to school and students.
A playlist or relevant audio/visual learning resource materials is being created and uploaded on basic concepts from lessons prescribed in the syllabus for Std II-X students in Department’s dedicated YouTube Channel (e-Suvidya). Mentor Teacher Programme has been devised for students not having access to internet, to ensure regular human interactions, enable social caring measures, and address possible psychosocial challenges that children/adolescents are likely to face under the extraordinary situation.
Mentor Teachers will reach out to students staying at their homes in their villages. A total of 4467 mentor teachers have been mapped with 21239 tribal villages. It is expected that this program will keep the ST/SC students connected to the learning process residing in remote villages and also provide them with critical life skill support.
They will create an enabling environment in the village and provide psychosocial and learning mentorship to the child. This will make the transition of children, back to school, after a long gap easier.