The school education department has switched to the socialmedia in order to reach out to the students amid the ongoing nationwidelockdown announced by Government of India to contain the spread of novelcoronavirus (COVID-19).
The department is using different social media applicationto reach out to the students and distribute the study material and otherlearning content to compensate their academic losses.
In this regard a circular has been issued by Director SchoolEducation Jammu (DSEJ) Anuradha Gupta with instruction to all the officials andthe teaching staff to streamline and coordinate the creation and working ofWhatsApp groups at district and school level to establish direct interface withstudents.
“Besides teaching and doubt clearing, activity basedassignments can be given to students in an organized manner,” reads a circular.
The DSEJ has asked the officials to follow the instructionsin letter and spirit.
“All Joint Directors (JDs) to get Level 1 WhatsApp groupcreated comprising of concerned CEOs, Principal DIETs, ZEOs. All the JDs shallalso be part of these groups. The main objective of this group shall be todiscuss the strategy for how best to involve and engage maximum number ofstudents in home classes,” the circular reads.
The officials have been asked to chalk out the strategiesfor reaching out to those students who don’t have access to the smart phones.
The department is taking such initiatives in wake of theclosure of the educational institutions which has kept the students confined totheir homes and are aloof from the classroom culture for a long time now.
Meanwhile, the DSEJ has also instructed the officials tocreate WhatsApp groups at different levels including Zonal Education Officers(ZEOs) and heads of the institutions.
“WhatsApp groups of teacher in-charges shall be created withstudents of each class particularly from classes 6th to 12th. For lowerclasses, home classes/home assignments may be given through parents,” reads thecircular.
Already, the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK)has started delivering lectures to the students through Google classrooms andZoom Application besides telecasting one hour lecture on DD Kashmir ondifferent syllabus oriented topics.
Meanwhile, the DSEJ has issued instructions to the officialsof the department to consolidate and strengthen the dissemination of thelectures through interactive teaching learning process.
“Basic objective of DSEJ Home assignments is to create aninteractive platform for all students and teachers through WhatsApp groups andthrough telephonic calls for engagement of the child,” reads the circular.
The teachers and the heads of the institutions have beeninstructed to make use of all modern means of technology like Zoom, Videoconferencing, telecast though cable network and DoorDarshan.