First Bell rings in new normal in school education

As the clock ticked 10, standard VII students Manju and Arjun switched the TV on. Holding a pen and notebook, they sat glued to the screen where a teacher intently read out from a social studies textbook. This is the new normal in Kerala even as the Covid-19 put off the reopening of schools for months. When lockdown forced everyone to stay at home, the government made sure the students did not miss out on their lessons, rolling out a first-of-its-kind virtual learning initiative in India called First Bell

Kerala is the first state to introduce such a programme which airs quality content that can match similar privately-owned e-learning apps. The First Bell initiative was launched by the General Education Department as an interim solution in the form of regular classes as schools remained closed owing to Covid-19-induced lockdown. Initially, as many as 604 classes have been aired through KITE (Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education) Victers, a state-run educational channel. Apart from this, students received 274 classes in Kannada medium and 163 Tamil Medium classes. Since the programme was launched, the viewership of web-streaming platforms of KITE Victers also steadily grew.

Records state that the Victers YouTube channel also received an astonishing response, generating monthly 150 million views. With 54 lakh views (5 lakh views per hour), the daily average viewership of the classes on the YouTube channel touched a tremendous milestone. To reach out to more students, the classes are also broadcast live on the official Facebook channel of Victers. The government also made sure that students never get distracted or bored with classes by introducing augmented reality and virtual reality as much as possible. Though the use of virtual and augmented realities are now restricted, KITE will explore more such possibilities and expand them to make classes more entertaining.

Comments

Under this govt, owning a house no longer a dream

Owning a house is not an easy feat. For many, it takes a lifetime of savings to build one while for others, banks can help out with home loans. In any case, the bulk of people’s wages goes into constructing a house. But, what about those whose dreams of owning a house are beyond their financial capabilities? That is where governments can chip in with financial assistance, and that is exactly what the Kerala government has done through its LIFE Mission programme. The kind gesture from the state brought back smiles to the faces of people who once thought building a house was beyond their reach. The state has, so far, constructed 2.51 lakh houses for its citizens who did not have any fixed abode for long. Those who meet the eligibility for the government assistance can avail the service by applying online. Under the programme, the applicant will receive Rs 4 lakh for a house, to which the Centre makes a contribution of Rs 72,000 in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) rural and Rs 1.5...

Kerala's e-mobility programme paves way for electric future

Fuel prices in the country might be going through the roof, but for the citizens of Kerala, there is good news. The state government is now encouraging the use of cost-effective, pollutant-free plug-in electric vehicles to say goodbye to expensive internal combustion engines, thereby preserving the environment. So, if you think gasoline cars are no longer affordable owing to the skyrocketing fuel prices, you can think of buying an electric vehicle, and the state government would be glad to help you out. Titled the e-mobility programme, the government aims to fight pollution by rolling out the environment-friendly substitute for fossil fuels. As part of the campaign, the State Government Departments are encouraged to switch to electrical vehicles (EVs) from Petrol or Diesel cars which are taken on lease or hired for official purpose. Recently, Tata Motors has delivered the first lot of 65 EVs to the motor vehicle department of Kerala as part ...

Thanks to LDF Govt, Kerala is a Gawking-Wage free state

The past five years saw the Kerala Government showcase the courage to act on sensitive issues that led to frequent conflicts in the state. The ban on Nooku Kooli or 'gawking wage' has been one such measure that came as a jolt to trade unions who charged hirers for just looking while others worked. Making this obsolete gawking wage practice unlawful, the government made the all-important step to transform Kerala as an investment-friendly destination Nokku Kooli, which literally translates into 'gawking wage or fees', is a localised term used to refer to the money extortion done by organised labour unions in the state. Under this unwritten law, wages have to be paid to trade union workers for loading and unloading works carried out by other workers or by machines. This practice has received criticism from all quarters for its futility and senselessness, and was considered a product of militant trade unionism that often led to constant fights between workers and busines...

Kerala Forward

Search This Blog