Shillong, July 4: Digital teaching in three subjects – Mathematics, Science and Computer Science will be available soon to students studying in Class IX and X in Meghalaya.
The digital teaching is being initiated by EDURIAL, a group run by some educated youth and teachers. Natalia Shullai and Hanif Syiemlieh are founders of EDURIAL, and the team members are Tahir Khan, Romario Lyngdoh, Samhaoo Passah, Debashish Das, BikashBoro and Abhijit Das.
The initiative is also being supported by Gambegre MLA, Saleng A. Sangma.
EDURIAL is an online educational website, developed and dedicated to students of Meghalaya irrespective of their social background. The website aims to bridge gaps via simple lesson delivery and affordable study materials in the form of videos, notes, presentations, mock tests and solved questions.
The goal of EDURIAL is to enhance the quality of learning in order to decrease the dropout rate and thereby increase the pass percentage at an affordable price.
At present the teaching would be in English. To promote digital learning throughout the State, the teaching would be also made available in local languages Khasi, Jaiñtia, and Garo later.
Saleng while announcing the pre-launch of the website: edurial.com, expressed concern over lack of quality education especially in Mathematics and Science especially in schools in rural areas of the state.
“This initiative would help students access to quality teachings of the subjects including those who cannot afford to go for tuition,†Saleng said.
The Gambegre MLA also said that similar digital teachings should be made available to those who are preparing for job examinations and other competitive exams in the state.
Syiemlieh said that the digital teachings would cover syllabus from textbooks under National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
Natalia said that the teaching has been simplified so that students can have better understanding of the topics in the form of animated video as well as encrypted DVD.
“Students can access the teaching online through the website in their mobile phones while students in rural areas where internet is not accessible, will be given encrypted DVD,†Syiemlieh said.
Registered students have to pay Rs 3 per day for the digital teaching, and Rs 1 per day for the digital teaching being made available in encrypted DVD.
Natalia said that there has been large-scale dropout over the last 5 to 7 years as well as high priced tutorial fee in the state which every student would not afford.
According to Natalia, EDURIAL has been started because of the problems that students from the state face every year especially after they passed their Class X board exams.
Citing an instance, Natalia pointed out that in a span of 6 months, Class XI students have to cover syllabus which is meant for one year.
“This stresses the students a lot both physically and mentally. Apart from this problem, students from the state have a tough time too in comprehending the above subjects when they go outside as the same quality of teaching is not available in all schools in our state when they were in Class-IX and X. Therefore, to do away with these problems, EDURIAL came up with this idea of provide quality education through minimal pricing,†Natalia added.
