“Online educational Provisions amidst Covid situation; SOS Children’s Village, Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar : The present Covid situation has hit the children very badly. Even school being closed, online educational supports stopped and not having any other options to spend their time fruitfully, the children feel very helpless, desperate and stressful. In this scenario, the village children, especially those are enrolled in Govt schools and belong to the economically weaker sections are at the receiving end. Vaccination shortage even for the elders and having no vaccine provision for these little ones has really caused more stress and panic.
In this aspect the Family Strengthening Program of SOS Children’s Village Bhubaneswar has made a special educational provision for the school enrolled children I it’s 8 locations. Daspur, Mahimangar, Krushannagar, Chudang, kujimahal, Bhola, Jamijhari and Dalua are the villages from Chandaka, Daruthenga, Kantabada and Chhtabar panchayat of Bhubaneswar and Jatni block. Around 350 children from these 8 villages are being benefitted through 16 nos. of dedicated tutors those take the tutorial classes through online mode. Children being at home connect through the smart phones and through Whatsapp, Zoom, Google Meet platforms classes are being taken. This has helped these 16 nos. of tutors to have some income through this part time job as well. They teach for 2 hours, provide home works, check the home works through notes sharing etc.
Initially, this process was really challenging as Tutors were not conversant with the online mode of education nor the children. Also many children were not having smart phones at their home. However through resource sharing and proper orientation to the Tutors now this is running very successfully, as per the Assistant Director, Mr. Sukant Kumar Panda, SOS Children’s Village, Bhubaneswar. The parents are highly obliged for this effort by SOS and this has sorted out many issues as well. Children get occupied in their studies and positively being restricted from outside movements as well as the learning loss is recovered.
Apart from this, SOS has provided library provisions and indoor play materials for the children of 5 villages, Krushnanagar, Chudang, Daspur, Bhola and Jamujhari as these are newly added to the program recently. The children play ludo, carom, chess and other indoor games as well as spend some time with the library books provided to them.
As per some of our tutors;
Krushnanagar Community Junior Tutor Rutusmita Says-“My experience about online teaching is great. Initially I don’t know how to teach them through online. It was very confused to me but later I have learned. Now I am teaching through WhatsApp Video call. Am shooting lesson video and audio make easy to understand for children. It’s my goal to learn something new in every class which will be helpful for children”.
Krushnanagar Community Senior Tutor Rashmita Says “It’s a great challenge that some child don’t have phone for attending the virtual class. Some don’t have how to access internet, how to learn through online. Fortunately we overcome the situation. We talked to the children, their parents, now we take class, we create routine, division of group and time. As a part time tutor I am thankful to SOS Village for supporting me and gave all the tutors A significant influence”.
Similarly Mr. Purna Chandra Sahoo a senior tutors from Dalua community “In spite of all difficulties like poor internet connection, some students have no smart phone, some technical issue I took the online classes. Thanks to the FS Programme, Community caregivers, Animator, Community leader for encouragement and cooperation for which my online class teaching is success”.