The Hamara Ghar, Humara Vidyalaya programme was launched by the Department of School Education in Madhya Pradesh (MP). The programme was designed as a home-based learning initiative aimed at reaching 22 lakh students whose education had been interrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic-induced closure of schools. The primary objective of the programme was to promote regular home-based study while enabling learners to gain life skills from their elders.
Structured into three parts, the programme includes recap sessions, the introduction of a new concept, and practice sessions related to the same. It runs on Doordarshan Madhya Pradesh during fixed time slots and is supplemented by various video concepts, practice sheets, and quizzes, all of which are delivered through the WhatsApp-based Digital Learning Enhancement Program (DigiLEP).
Program Reach: The Current Scenario
Despite having a well-structured plan, the programme has only managed to reach around 30% of its total target audience from 18th July to 25th July. This includes 20% of students who were reached through TV and 10% through WhatsApp.
Several issues have hampered a wider reach, including a lack of resources such as TVs or smartphones with an internet connection, which prevented 30% of the student population from accessing study materials. In instances where households possess a smartphone with an internet connection, parents often take them to work, thus limiting their availability for educational purposes. This discontinuity in access to learning modules has resulted in an interruption in the learning flow of many students.
Reaching out to the students in the tribal-dominated regions of 89 blocks in Alirajpur, Barwani, and Jhabua districts presents a significant challenge due to connectivity and accessibility issues.
Suggestions to Enhance Reach and Effectiveness
To overcome these challenges, it is suggested that students be divided into various groups based on the availability of TVs and phones with working connections, in accordance with the PRAGYATA guidelines. One suggestion is to encourage families with a shared phone to allow all their children to use it for their studies. Similarly, those who have a TV should be encouraged to watch the educational broadcasts during the fixed time slots.
Way Forward: Capitalising on Digital Education
The new National Education Policy (NEP) includes a section focused on digital education aimed at ensuring equitable use of technology. Private players can contribute in this arena by making e-resources accessible and available to students under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Furthermore, expanding the definition of the right to education to include and promote online education can help highlight the importance of connectivity, access to knowledge, and information.
