The state School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad recently wrote a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar regarding utilisation of DD National channels for school education.As the Maharashtra government plans to start the new academic year for schools from June 15 via e-learning method and has requested the Centre to provide a 12-hour slot to it on Doordarshan for airing educational programmes for children.
It has also sought two hours slot on All India Radio (AIR) for such programmes for school children.
On Friday, state School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said the endeavour is to reach out to the students in tribal and rural Maharashtra, where e-learning and internet access is a problem.
“Health of the children is a priority for the government and at the same time we do not want the academic year to be delayed. I am holding discussion with all the stakeholders to find out a solution on how to move further”Minister added.
“Schools will have to be restarted only after taking the parents into confidence. Till then, we are exploring the option of e-learning. We are finding out how the internet connectivity issues in different parts of the state can be resolved. In many villages, Android phones penetration is less,” she said.
The minister said that the Maharashtra government, along with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), is figuring out different ways to support the student learning in such difficult times.
