ASPTA Teachers' Body Suggests Measures to Impart Education in LP Schools of Assam

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam State Primary Teachers' Association (ASPTA) has suggested a plan to the Education Minister to impart education to lower primary schools amid the pandemic situation.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, ASPTA in-charge president Anwar Hussain underlined that during the COVID situation, the students of lower primary (LP) schools will not be benefitted if the ways to impart education is not regulated as higher classes.

"Whenever the COVID situation deteriorates, the LP schools are ordered to be closed before other educational institutions. However, the LP schools are the last ones to be allowed to reopen when the situation comes to normalcy. Thus, a proper plan should be chalked out to impart education on the days when the LP schools remain open and the days when such schools are closed," said Hussain.

The Association suggested to the Education Minister that there is a need to provide special powers to the Block Elementary Education Officer (BEEO) to form a committee to make policies about the teaching process in villages and wards.

"The committee formed by the BEEO should take permission from district education officer and district medical officer before making the rules and regulations on teaching process for villages/wards," said ASPTA general secretary Ratul Chandra Goswami.

The ASPTA suggested that the village committees can also take initiatives to manage the education process in LP schools. The village committees can suggest measures to the schools to operate during the COVID situation like — classes on alternate days, classes for a single class etc.

Further, the ASPTA appealed to the Education Minister to provide financial assistance to execute their suggested plan on the operation of LP schools. The ASPTA general secretary asserted that the syllabus of the LP schools should be reduced as on most of the days, the schools are closed.

"The schools should be sanitized every two days. Moreover, banners to make the students aware of COVID-19 should be put up on the schools' premises. The schools should also arrange soaps and sanitisers for the safety of the students," said the ASPTA in-charge president.

The ASPTA underlined that only 20 per cent of students of LP schools will be able to attend online classes.

"It is not necessary for students of Class A, Class I and II to attend online classes as they are too young," the ASPTA stated.

Further, the Association suggested that at the block level, a teacher should be given the responsibility to take classes at his/her residence of the students staying in a radius of a half kilometre.

"The respective teachers should be provided worksheets, notes and activity work to impart education to the pupils. He/she can be allowed to take assistance from persons in his/her area. Moreover, awareness programmes should be broadcast on the radio so that students don't drop out due to the COVID crisis," the ASPTA added.

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