ONLINE SCHOOLS: THE NEW MEDIUM

Education in Bangladesh is a constant work in progress. Be it the availability of primary books free of cost or frequent amendments in the national curriculum, the development is slow but steady. 

We must acknowledge that the quality of primary education in Bangladesh is still far behind the desired quality. The shortage of schools in rural and remote areas of the country, in addition to the lack of quality teachers, is considered the main reason for this shortcoming. Moreover, experienced personnel or bright young individuals do not show particular interest to serve in rural areas as teachers for an extended period.

A solution to this setback? Online schools. 

An online school, as can be assumed from the term, is an institution that teaches students entirely through an online setup or platform. This means heavy involvement of the internet and communication methods along with the expertise of teachers, obviously. 

The idea is simple – to bridge the gap in quality education in rural areas through available technology. The ideators – JAAGO Foundation, Grameenphone and Agni Systems Ltd.

The triumvirate of JAAGO, Grameenphone and Agni joined forces and are working with a vision to 

establish free of cost international standard schools in every district of the country. JAAGO Foundation, the non-profit youth organisation, operates the schools and designs curriculum for the different classes. Grameenphone provides the much needed financial, infrastructural and connectivity support for the initiative. Agni Systems Ltd provides the internet solution for the schools, free of cost. 

The organisations introduced the concept of "Online School" as a pilot project with 80 underprivileged children back in 2011 in Gazipur. Now, they are running 10 online schools across the country – in Gazipur, Rajshahi, Gaibandha, Madaripur, Bandarban, Lakshmipur, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Teknaf and most recently, Hobiganj.

"JAAGO Foundation believes in education for all. We want to provide quality education to the farthest corners of Bangladesh. Our options and opportunities are mostly centralised in Dhaka, but what about the education of a child in the rural area? With this thought in mind we came up with the concept of online schools," said Korvi Rakshand, founder of JAAGO Foundation. 

So how does an online school work? The classrooms in rural Bangladesh are connected to JAAGO's Teaching Center in Dhaka through video conferencing technology via the internet. On one side of the screen, about 30 children take part in the many activities conducted by the teacher, on the other side in Dhaka. The children are taken care of by moderators, who help the teachers in carrying out the operations. They are mostly selected from the local community with no teaching background who later develop themselves as teachers. Local employment: check. 

WebEx, a product of Cisco, is the software that is used for the operation. It is an interactive video conferencing software that consists of a two-way white board and comes with Powerpoint slide and audiovisual support.

What the teachers write on the white board can be visualised on the other end, at the classroom. Alphabets, phonetics, numbers, video clips and other learning materials are written, played, shown on both ends – resulting in smooth participation and interaction between the teacher and the students. Truly, the internet is a wonderful tool.

"'Internet for all' is a goal of Grameenphone, where the objective is to make internet available for the masses. The online school project demonstrates that internet can be a tool to provide quality education to the remotest parts of the country. The internet can be used to create a vast positive impact on the society in the fields of education, healthcare, and much more," said M. Hafizur Rahman Khan, Specialist, CR Engagement, Corporate Responsibility, Communications Division, Grameenphone.

The children enrolled in these free online schools start in a level called "Elementary Class", which is a blend of the standard Play Group and Nursery classes. The curriculum which is customised after research and development usually follows the Cambridge education system but adding elements of our culture in it. Later the basic NCTB curriculum is undertaken.

SHOUT recently visited the newly established online school in Surma Tea Estate, Hobiganj and witnessed a class taken by a teacher in Dhaka, facilitated by a moderator in the classroom. The students here are mostly children of the labourers working at the tea plantation nearby. Aged between 4 and 10, the children attend a 4-hour class every weekday and lessons include learning English and Bangla alphabets, simple mathematics, basic shapes, colours, rhymes and also a bit of physical exercise. 

Although the students aren't critically evaluated, each child shows growth in both personal and team performances. 

Morjina Akter, a moderator at the online school in Hobiganj, said, "Since day one, the students show a good level of interest and focus in the classes. They learn while having fun with friends. We often speak with their parents and they are very satisfied with the education and services provided here."

The good samaritans at JAAGO Foundation, Grameenphone and Agni Systems Ltd plan to cater to the educational needs of children who come from a socially and economically disadvantaged background. The goal is to establish one such school in every district of the country.

The online school is a unique idea through which quality education, similar to that available in major cities, may be provided to the underprivileged population living in slums and remote areas. Children who avail this opportunity, seem to find learning to be fun. Initiatives such as this will educate people on the benefits of the internet and the amazing things that can be done through it.

For more information, visit 
http://jaago.com.bd/online-school
http://www.grameenphone.com/about/corporate-information/corporate-responsibility/education

PHOTOS: DARSHAN CHAKMA