SAI Thought Leadership: Teachers Advised To Bridge 500-Day Gap After Schools Reopen In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: As the schools are set to reopen with the severity of COVID pandemic weakening, initial 30 to 40 days is crucial for the students. The teachers need to focus on what the students missed during long period of closure, opined Surendra Nath Tripathy, Director General, Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).

Speaking on “Changing Role of Governance Post Covid” at the third chapter of SAI Thought Leadership hosted by the SAI International Education Group, here on Saturday, Tripathy said there is a need to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas to bring a holistic change in the education system.

“We all know that the students were away from Class I to XII for around 500 days. I would certainly suggest that now that schools are opening, to access two things. We need to understand what the Class VI students remember from Class IV. The first 30 to 40 days, the teachers must invest in bridging that gap that the 500 days have brought about,” he said.

Stressing on the need to upskill the educators through leveraging technology, he said, “This is the age of experiential learning. We need to convert all our teachers from Adhyapak to Guru as they have the power to change people’s lives. This process will driven by technology. I would encourage all the teachers to use the current technology and tools to upgrade the learning process.”

Addressing the question on the long-term goals for digital transformation post COVID, Tripathi said, “What would have happened in a decade, happened in a span of 3 months. When things have changed, we cannot suddenly create 1000 teachers. Changing the mindset of policy makers and converting their ideologies can only be possible with digital transformation. Education sector is going for a major shift. The time has come to develop a universal education standard throughout the country. Technology and AI will play a big role in shaping the child’s future.”

The brainchild of late Dr Bijaya Kumar Sahoo, Founder Chairman, SAI International Education Group, SAI Thought Leadership is a platform where luminaries engage in deliberation on relevant issues with a focus on the holistic development of the individuals and the nation.

Dr Silpi Sahoo, Chairperson, SAI International Education Group also spoke at the event.