Poor Connectivity: Only 25% Students Of This Odisha School Have Online Education

By Bikash Khemka On Aug 5, 2021

Bhawanipatna: Even as online study has become the only way to ensure that the students’ education is not affected due to COVID-19 pandemic, poor connectivity in remote areas has turned a major obstacle, putting the future of the students at peril in Kalahandi district.

A case in the point is Gopalpur Primary School, located around 23 km from Bhawanipatna town. Poor connectivity and inability of parents to purchase smart phones have forced the school authorities to conduct classes at “Prahari Mandap” set up opposite the school.

The teachers take the class with an android phone connected to a sound box and pre-recorded lessons are played on the phone. Those sitting in front of the mobile phone can view the 3/6 inches screen and rest of the students listen to the audio. As a result, hardly one third of total 48 students of Class I to V attend the class on a given day.

“In rural pockets, it is common to find a family having only one phone which is taken away either by mother or father while going to work for daily wage. The parents who cannot afford android set, use keypad phone which cannot access online classes,” said Manas Ranjan Deep, an assistant teacher of the school.

Sarita, a student of Class V, agreed with Manas as she said her parents refused to buy an android set for her despite repeated demand.

Another teacher, Arvind Sabar said parents of only 10 students have android phones and the internet cannot be accessed at their homes. The Gopalpur primary school had won the “Garima Award” in 2020, but now the students’ talent is going waste for poor internet connectivity.

The connectivity is either poor or totally zero in the schools located in Madhupur, Bhaluchanchara, Jamguda, Talbeda under Gobardhanpur panchayat in Lanjigarh block. In the remote areas of the block, students have to trek 2-3 km to hilltops to access the internet connection.

District Education Officer (DEO) of Kalahandi, Susanta Kumar Chopdar said, “We have received complaints many times that the students trek hilly areas to get the network which is quite pathetic. We have communicated the problems to the higher officials.”

In Kalahandi district, there are 2303 schools including high schools with Lanjigarh and Thuamul Rampur having around 400 schools. The connectivity problem has also been reported from the schools of Jaipatna and Koksara blocks.

However, sources said the state government is taking steps to resolve the issue. At a meeting attended by Minster of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra recently, it was decided that a device will be installed in the selected high schools to ensure smooth internet connectivity.

At present, BSNL, JIO and Airtel are providing the internet services in the district.