J&K Govt issues Guidelines for holding of Community Classes, Volunteer Teachers, Parents Roped in, Get Details Here

J&K Guidelines on Community Classes: Amid the COVID-19 crisis which has forced closure of schools across the state, the J&K Administration has issued Guidelines and SOPs for holding of Community Classes to ensure academic continuity for students who do not have internet connectivity. The administration has roped in volunteer teachers and parents to teach children at these classes and also prescribed the format and syllabus to be followed. As per the SOPs, the teachers will have to conduct the classes within the notified syllabus prescribed by JKBOSE or CBSE.

Volunteer Teachers, Parents Roped In

According to the circular published by the Education Department of J&K Govt, the administration has allowed volunteer teachers and parents to conduct community classes for students. However, as per the guidelines issued by the department, “Volunteer teachers should draw a proper timetable every week in consultation with local community and the duration of each class should not exceed 40 minute.”

What are Community Classes?

Since the announcement of lockdown in March, schools across the state have been closed which is having an adverse impact on the academic learning and continuity of education for the students. While the state government has started online classes and also launched educational content on TV channels and cable television; there are several students who are not connect by these technologies, who are left out of the learning process. Teachers from across the state started Community Classes initiative to reach out to children with no access to online teaching and learning due to digital divide, lack of mobile connectivity and non-availability of smart phones.

Guidelines / SOPs for Community Classes

The initiative has also been backed by the School Education Department in light of poor mobile connectivity in remote areas, and now new guidelines and SOPs have been issued for holding of these classes. The key among them include:

• Classes to be held under the optimum supervision of Directors of School Education in Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Commissioners, Chief Education Officers, Zonal Education Officers and school heads
• Classes to be held in open areas where students can have minimum of 2 meters distance to sit apart and ensure social distancing
• If wide open space is unavailable, classes are to be held in staggered manner with different shift timings and rotation of students
• Hand washing facilities should be made available for all students and teachers
• Classes to be held only for students who are not connected via internet connectivity
• Ownership of initiative to be vested in local communities, which will comprise of local teachers and parents VEC members, school management committee members and prominent persons of the locality
• Students and teachers, who are high risk of coronavirus infection due to any underlying medical condition should be excluded from the initiative
• Students not allowed to carry their own books, stationery and other items. Exchange of items between students is prohibited.