Campbell Bay, 30 June 2021
The recent order of the Director of Education, Andaman and Nicobar Administration regarding the suspension of classes as a preventive measure for two weeks from 30th June 2021 was widely circulated on Social Media. The order also mentioned a YouTube Channel of the Education Department as an alternative method to ensure continuity of teaching and learning.
Nicobar Times checked out the YouTube Channel mentioned in the order and found that the videos on the channel have very meagre views. To check the ground reality we asked students from Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar on the methods deployed by their schools for ensuring continuity of their learning.
We found there is a huge divide between online and alternative ways of education in rural and urban areas.
We also spoke to students of Katchal Island on phone and found that their situation is worse than the students of Campbell Bay because of the unavailability of the internet.
No student that we spoke to knew about the YouTube Channel of the Education Department.
In urban areas education to the students during these times of COVID-19 is being imparted through Local Cable Television Networks, through Online Live Classes, Doordarshan, All India Radio, WhatsApp etc. The students of most of the rural areas such as Campbell Bay are totally dependent on only the notes sent by WhatsApp. They mostly copy the notes in their notebooks. No doubt clearing sessions etc. are organised for them.