J&K Admin ropes in Doordarshan, cable networks for online classes

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has roped in Doordarshan and local cable networks to start online classes for students staying indoors due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It has also decided to distribute 2500 low-budget educational tablets to the students of Class 10 to 12.

“These tablets are for enhancing their virtual learning experience. The tablets would be loaded with textbooks, problem-solving techniques and other related material,” Principal Secretary, School Education, Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon said.

The School Education Department through its online education initiatives has started distributing assignments of Unit I and Unit II to students during the early phase of lockdown through District Institute of Education and Trainings (DIETs).

“Tele classes on Doordarshan on a daily basis from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. by resource persons of the department has already started. The Directorate of School Education Kashmir has a repository of tele classes which are also being aired on DD Kashmir separately,” said Mr. Samoon.

The department is roping in local cable networks for tele classes. “Tele-classes are being aired on local cable networks by lecturers, district resource etc. The recorded videos of these classes with Directorate have been provided to the districts for airing them on local cable networks in their area,” Mr. Samoon said.

The online virtual classes on the platform like WhatsApp, Zoom Cloud, Skype, Google Classroom have also been utilised.

“The schools have to form different groups of their students and teachers and form a timetable for virtual classes. They should also engage them in a play way activity, quizzes, assignments, small projects in a two-way process,” he said.

Teachers and students have been guided for accessing DIKSHA portal e-content and content on NCERT’s e-Patshala, officials said.

Slow internet

Mr. Samoon, however, has expressed dissatisfaction over the slow speed of mobile internet in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Kids can’t download text books as Internet is slow. We have earmarked ₹2030.87 lakh for 1st-8th classes; ₹1105.44 lakh and ₹925.43 lakh for the Kashmir division for distribution of books,” he said.

The Hindu