Dimapur 11 August 2020: Fr. T.T. Joseph SDB, in-charge of the department of Education in Dimapur Province, convened a meeting of the members of the education board. The meeting was held on the digital platform of Google meet. The meeting began with the prayer led by Fr. Benny James SDB. Fr. T.T. Joseph welcomed the participants and emphasized the main objective of the meeting to focus on the activities of our schools in response to the corona virus pandemic. Fr. Jose Kuruvachira SDB, the Provincial of Dimapur Province addressed the board members and appreciated the initiative of coming together to discuss the various aspects of the growth of the schools in our province. The members present were Fr. Benny James, Fr. K.C. Vincent, Bro. Mathew K, Fr. Stephen Chazhasseril, Fr. Joshua Gangmei, Fr. Jose Thomas and Fr. Neljen. The representatives of each region presented the report of the activities organized in the schools in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The summery also highlighted the challenges faced by the schools during this lockdown period. 

In response to school closures, many of our schools made use of distance learning programmes and open educational applications that schools and teachers can use to reach students remotely and limit the disruption of education. All the schools have organized meeting and training programmes for the teachers to begin the process of online classes. However as one of the participants said, much of online classes regulated by the bandwidth available in each area. 

Some of the activities undertaken during this period include printing and distributing chapters of textbooks; broadcasting recorded videos through websites, portals, social media (school applications, WhatsApp and YouTube); making videos available via memory cards or audio lessons through the medium of mobile phones. 

For students without access to technology or connectivity notebooks packed with learning resources that have been delivered to homes of these students by teachers. Other schools are using social media applications like parent app or WhatsApp, where teachers assign students with specific chapters to read and a set of questions to respond to. Students are required to answer the questions and send an image of their answers back to teachers to assess. Many schools have even organizing online examinations and class tests through Goggle form in order to create greater interest and keep them motivated in attending the regular online classes.  

ECONOMIC IMPACT AND ENROLLMENT ISSUE

School closures affected not only students, teachers, and families, but have far- reaching economic consequences. The impact was most severe for disadvantaged children and their families, causing interrupted learning and consequent economic cost to families who could not work. 

We are aware that many of our schools are in the remote areas and the people are poor and they are unable to pay the fees. Hence administration too is unable to pay complete salaries to teachers and staff during this lockdown though most of them have tried their best to pay the complete salary. 

COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the enrollment of students in the school and it was reiterated by the Fr. Joshua while presenting the report of the region of Arunachal Pradesh.

PROBLEMS FACED 

Shortage of finance to pay the teachers
Online classes are not effective in certain region
Most of the students are in the farm
Poor electricity and poor net work. 
Most of the students do not have smart phone to attend online classes. 

NEW EDUCATION POLICY 

The board has also made the decision to organize a webinar in order to make all the headmasters and principals of Don Bosco Schools know the impact of the new Educational National Policy 22 August 2020.   

The meeting was concluded with the observation made by Fr. Provincial appreciating the well prepared and comprehensive report presented by the different regions and exhorting the organizers to arrange similar meetings in the future. (by Fr. Neljen Antony SDB)