Lessons Through Loudspeakers, Community Radio To Help Bridge The Digital Gap In Education

Source: The Print

Children those who do not have access to smartphone or internet connection to attend online classes shall be imparted lessons through community methods including lessons through loudspeakers is recommended by the HRD Ministry in its guidelines issued on Tuesday.

The guidelines released in collaboration with NCERT list three modes of education- online, partially online, and offline.
When designing the guidelines, experts have taken into consideration various categories of households — those with all facilities like laptop/computer/smartphone, TV and cable; those with a smartphone and 4G connection; those with smartphones but limited access to the internet; those with a TV and cable connection; those with a radio set and a basic mobile phone; and those with no digital devices.

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“In case a student does not have access to TV, community television, which is available in panchayat union office or public places, can be used for mass education,” the guidelines state.
“In cases where the radio is not available with the student, community radio, if available in panchayat union office or public places, can also be utilized, along with loudspeakers for mass education in some generic areas,” they say.
The ministry is working on the possibility of relaying educational content through AIR. Some states like Haryana have already begun classes through AIR.