The Bumthang Dzongkhag’s Education sector launched their own version of e-Learning Program at the district level on local channels, this morning. The program which focuses on the syllabus of class X and XII is only to supplement the nationwide e-Learning program aired on BBS channels.
Though this might contradict Education Ministry’s e-learning advisory issued yesterday asking teachers not to teach the regularly prescribed syllabus, Bumthang’s Education In Emergency taskforce members said this is only to keep students engaged and not for assessments.
Teachers of classes X and XII from various schools of Bumthang take turns to record their lessons. Some teachers go live on the local channel to receive calls from students to clarify their doubts once the recorded program ends. The cable operators are assisting the education sector with technical support and the lessons are aired for free. The lessons will be broadcast on Saturdays and Mondays when there are no lessons for the classes aired on BBS.
“We are having this program just to keep our students engaged and we are focusing on class X and XII because they will probably have to attend board exams towards the end of the year. We also have counselling lessons by our school counsellors and Choeshey Layrim or religious discourse by Zhung Drattshang’s Lams placed in our schools and these are all done just to make the students feel comfortable at home. Moreover, this is to keep the academic connection that the teachers and students share,” said Ngawang Jamtsho, the Principal of Jakar Higher Secondary School.
Due to limited technical equipment and expertise, teachers are faced with some challenges at the moment. The lessons taught are on the regular class 10 and 12 syllabi but students will not be evaluated based on the lessons aired on the local channels.
“We are keeping the students engaged through Google Classroom and WeChat groups but there are affordability issues related with phones and data charges, so we are choosing the television option as most students have TV sets at home. There will be no assessments at all based on the lessons taught on the local channels. We will teach the lessons again at school when the schools reopen,” he added.
A recent survey of class IV to XII conducted by the district’s education sector found that about 120 students of the roughly 1675 surveyed had no television sets at home.
Kipchu
