Thrust on tablet-based learning in rural Punjab

A California-based Social Enterprise in association with the US administration has taken an initiative to bring tablet-based education to rural schools in Punjab. The project will provide an adaptive learning platform, where tablets will be used to teach students.

The programme has been launched in several schools in Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts. Last year, two rural schools were adopted as a pilot project. However, the social enterprise on Friday announced its plan to adopt 50 schools across Punjab this academic year.

Giving details about the project, Jasjit Singh, project organiser from the US, said: “At present, in Punjab, more than half of the 5th grade students cannot even solve 3rd grade mathematics, which is worrisome.

The platform currently focuses on teaching maths and additional subjects will be added over time.

“We are distributing tablets in rural schools with an aim that no child is left behind in the classroom. It is specially meant for classrooms with high disparity in students’ learning level,” he said. a “Given that schools cannot fail students till Class 9 is a big flaw in the educational policy, which is affecting students’ IQ level. They are promoted to the next level without learning their previous syllabus. This solution works in conditions of serious infrastructure constraints of lack in electricity, Internet, poor teacher quality and low technical exposure/ experience for students and staff,” Jasjit added.

A meeting was held at the central orphanage run by Chief Khalsa Diwan, where the project organisers — Pixatel Systems, along with officers from US Agency for International Development (USAID), Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), Chief Khalsa Diwan and Punjab government, discussed detailed plans to scale the initiative. The orphanage became the latest school to receive the tablet-based classroom education.

The tablets were distributed by SGPC member Kiranjot Kaur, who is also a key sponsor of the project. Sharing her view about the project, Kiranjot Kaur told HT: “This is an opportunity for us to reshape education in Punjab. This will give the students a chance to get education based on the latest technology available, allowing every student to realise their potential.”