NEW DELHI: The lockdown has shifted the education system from classrooms to bedrooms. Black-boards have been replaced by Zoom or Skype calls with teachers conducting classes online.
While having online classes was affordable to those having access to smartphones, tabs and laptops, students coming from the economically weaker section were left behind in this fast-changing world.
To make online education accessible to all, Siddhant Nigam Sinha, a 17-year-old student, decided to collect various electronic gadgets to distribute amongst those who need it most.
“I was particularly worried about the inability of these students to participate in this new, financially-demanding way of learning especially in India, where cellular data and equipment is a rarity for the majority. The change has left many students behind the curve,” said Siddhant Nigam Sinha, a resident of Gurgaon, who is currently a student of Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.
Over the last couple of months Siddhant, via Sun Foundation has been raising funds and collecting old devices for such students.
“Some of the students from EWS families said that they weren’t able to continue education and continue classes. Some of them only had one phone back home and couldn’t attend all classes... I wanted to help these students. We raised funds from corporates, RWAs and even individuals,” he added.
Siddhant is looking for more devices and has reached out RWA’s across Gurgaon, crowdsourcing platforms, WA groups of industry associations and some corporates to help them with this drive.
The collected devices will be donated to students at select EWS schools and a receipt from the administration of these schools will be duly provided to the donors.