BHUBANESWAR: Unable to cope up with digital learning, specially-abled students in Odisha and other states are at the risk of dropping out of education. This was claimed by a survey report published by voluntary organisations, Swabhiman and Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) on Wednesday. As many as 3,627 respondents from different areas in Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Chennai, Sikkim, Nagaland, Haryana and Jammu were covered. The respondents included students, parents and teachers. Faced with several challenges, only 56.5 percent students were attending classes but ‘irregularly.’
According to the survey, around 77 pc students found it difficult to adapt the new methods and anticipated failure for not being able to access distance learning methods. The survey highlighted various challenges faced by such students and their families. Parents of 90 pc students claimed that teachers weren’t paying attention to their children while conducting online classes.
Lack of gadgets is also a hurdle for some. The survey claimed that around 64 pc students did not have smart phones or computers at home. At least 67 pc of students expressed their need for laptops, smartphones or tabs for educational purposes, while 77 pc asked for study material in alternate format suitable for children with disabilities. Around 74 pc of them said they needed data/Wi-fi support for educational purposes while 61 pc expressed need for scribes, escorts, readers and attendants.
The survey also highlighted the challenges of speciallyabed students who could access a gadget at home. Around 71 pc said their father was the only person who had a smartphone and was out of home most of the time for work. Among the users of smartphones, 87.4 pc said the connection was poor, while 78 pc of them said their fathers “did not like the concept of online classes as they consumed a lot of data (most recharge amounts were Rs 399/Rs 599 for 86/54 days with 1.5 to 2GB per day).
Most importantly, 61 pc students couldn’t afford to buy a new smartphone. Disability activist and founder of Swabhiman, Sruti Mohapatra, said children with disabilities cannot be clubbed as one group as they are persons with different disabilities and therefore, different needs.