Vice President Venkaiah Naidu directs to address the Digital Divide in times of the COVID-19 lockdown across the country
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu urged to bridge the digital divide in the country to achieve primary education and make sure fair and impartial secondary and higher education is provided for the students.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu urged to bridge the digital divide in order to achieve primary education and make sure fair and impartial secondary and higher education for the students. The directions from the Vice President has come at a time when several students have been facing problems in attending the online classes as the schools across the country are shut according to the guidelines issued by the government to stop the spread of COVID-19.
The Vice President was speaking at the launch of a book conducted via video conference in which he stressed on the need to make technology accessible and affordable for everyone and pointed out that many children who do not have access to digital devices attend the online classes conducted. The Vice President also stated that the issue of the digital divide has to be addressed. He pointed out that a large number of students have been affected due to the lockdown as they are finding it difficult to continue their studies online.
He also pointed out that many of the students need a helping hand to shift from offline to online and also require proper training to pursue their education through the online mode. He also added that several parents in the country are still not able to afford digital devices.
He also pointed out that bridging the digital divide is complex for the government to accomplish urging the private sectors including the educational technology firms to bring products at an affordable price according to the needs of the learners.
With the Educational Institutions across the country shifting to the digital format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vice President stated that students and teachers were connecting through the cloud-based platforms to communicate, share work, and complete projects.
The Vice President also asked the teachers to impart education as per the changing requirements which the students will be able to access anytime anywhere. He pointed out that teachers have a vital role of a facilitator, guide, and coach to the students.
Sherin is an education journalist with over 7 years of experience. Over her tenure of working with top media houses like Careers 360 and then Jagran Josh, Sherin has covered various entrance examinations liek JEE Main, NEET, CUET, GATE, etc. as well as various state board and CBSE results. Her understanding of the education ecosystem coupled with her own experience of teaching as an Assistant Professor of nearly 2 years helps her provide a comprehensive perspective to students. She has a Masters Degree in Communication from Madras Christian College. Apart from covering education news, Sherin also enjoys reading and cooking.
