Rajnish Sareen
Nawanshahr, April 11, 2020: As the lock down is going on due to pandemic COVID-19, the state education department has virtually geared itself up to convert the current period of unprecedented crisis into an opportunity to prove its mettle. The department has launched the " Ghar Baithe Shikhiya" programme by ensuring optimum utilisation of the information technology. The "on line classes" with the help of various tools of information technology have been proving a double edged weapon to fight the menace of COVID-19 as well as complacency among the students. The teachers have not only been resorting to virtual classes to keep the students in touch with the study of different subjects but have also been making the students and their parents aware for observing the precautions and preventive measures to check the spread of Corona virus. Despite some teething troubles due to technical as well as socio-economic hazards in the operation of virtual classes, the most of the parents are appreciating the relentless and dedicated efforts of the school teachers for keeping their children busy with their studies to ensure "Stay at Home, Stay Safe" drive successful in its true spirit.
" The dedicated efforts of the teachers for taking classes of the different subjects, assigning as well as checking the home work on Whatsapp have virtually been proving boon for us as it keeps the children busy and occupied all the day", said the parents adding that had these " On line classes" not started, it would have been quite difficult for them to keep their children stay safe in their homes to check the dreaded epidemic.
" Moreover, it is a boon for the students of 10th and 12th classes, whose Board Examination is lying pending due to the crisis. The teachers are constantly in touch with them and preparing them for the postponed Board Examination by taking regular tests ", said the parents while lauding the dedication of the teachers to check complacency among the students.
District Education Officer ( Secondary), Harcharan Singh, while divulging details said that as per the consistent motivation by the Education Secretary, Krishan Kumar as well as the guidelines by the state coordinators and resource persons of different subjects, the team of dedicated teachers in the district including Incharge DM, District PPPP, Varinder Banga, Jatinder Sharma(DM Math), Naresh Bhrigu( DM Science), Anil Kumar , Surjit Bhatti ( Ladhana Jhikka), Ajit Singh( GGSSS, Rahon), Kavita SAbharwal( GSSS boys, Rahon),Vijay Kumar( Khoteran), Barinder Kumar(Ghamoaur), Gurdev Singh( Ghumman), Rajwinder Sandhu( GGSSS, Rahon), Sumit Kumar, Gurnam Dass, Hardeep Rai Prashar, Jasvir Pal Singh, Rajwinder Singh, Naresh Kumar, Jatinder Sharma, Kumari Jyoti, Amanpreet Kaur, Satnam Singh, Manjinder Kaur, Aruna Thakur, Jaswinder Singh, Vipan Kumar, Chetan Kotra, Shailja had been doing commendable job in content development of English, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science. The translated and simplified study material of Khan Academy Classes and NCERT books in Math and Science for making the learning of basic concepts easy for the students was being provided to the teachers. So far, as many as 586 teachers of Middle, high and Sr. Sec. Schools had been taking on line classes through Zoom App, U Tube and Whats App etc.
Similarly, the District Education Officer( Elementary), Pawan Kumar told that the Parho Punjab, Parhao Punjab ( Primary Wing) team had been preparing study material and innovative techniques for providing on line education facility to the students through social media. As many as 135 primary school teachers in the district had been taking virtual classes during the lock down period. He lauded the contribution of Satnam Singh, Neel Kamal, District and Assistant District Coordinator, PPPP( Primary Wing), Shelly Jairath, Prabhjot, Priya Doda,Anuradha, Sapna, Kuldeep Kaur, Ram Lal, Sarika Goyal, Manjit Kaur, Gurpreet Kaur, Manjinder Rani in making the " Ghar Baithe Shikhiya" succssful in the district.
" Earlier, the school heads and teachers have declared result of the Non-Board Classes through social media and the process of promoting students of Non Board Classes and their admission to next class has also been done on line due to the lock down", said the DEOs, Harcharan Singh and Pawan Kumar while adding that besides taking on line classes, more tan 200 officials, teachers and non teaching employees of the district education department had actually been working in the field as ' Corona Warriors" as they had been deputed on duty in different teams along with the police , health and other departments by the district administration to fight COVID-19 at the ground Zero.