HYDERABAD: The Digital Classrooms Programme was launched with much hype and fanfare by the State government in 3,352 high schools last year. Under the programme, students get to watch educational programmes in state-run channel Mana TV. However, the project seems to have failed to make a mark on government schools in the Old city.Teachers in government schools in Old City say most programmes on the channel are in Telugu while the schools follow the Urdu-medium.
Out of several government schools Express visited, the single computer in Government High School, Vatepally which has a strength of about 600 students, was found to be not maintained. Out of 22 government schools in Bahadurpura, only a handful have computers. Government Girls’ High School in Moghulpura does not have even a single computer and is functioning without a headmaster. The situation is similar in government school in Talabkatta also.
Another government school teacher, who does not want to be named, said, “For the children of government schools in Telangana, the digital classroom programme is only ornamental. There has been no training provided to the teachers about computer education. Only two days of formal training to teachers, who do not even understand English, a language in which you navigate through the device, is of no use. There should be special educators or teachers trained in computer education imparting digital education to the kids. Else, the programme is only a failure.” However, when Deputy Education Officer Radha Krishna was contacted, he said the digital education programme is functioning smoothly in the schools of Old City.
Meanwhile, Ahmad expressed regret over the lack of resources in government. A school for minorities in Old City — Government Primary School, Bhavani Nagar 1 was found teaching kids from Class 1 to 5 in three classrooms. A small group of students was seated in the space in front of the toilets. When asked about it, schoolteacher Zohra Ahmadi said, “We teach Class 1 and 2 in one classroom, Class 3 in another and Class 4 and 5 in the third one. The students sit on unclean floors in the classrooms. Though the teachers claimed that the students have been provided uniform, not a single one was seen wearing uniform. Another primary government school in Aman Nagar accommodates students from Class 1 to 5 in one classroom.
GBPS, Sultan Shahi, another government primary school for SC, ST children which caters to 184 students has some classrooms with seating facility. The school principal K Geetanjali said they have eight classrooms and total eight teachers in the school.