Jamshedpur: Government school student Pooja Mahto is ecstatic. Instead of depending on chalk-and-blackboard sessions, her doubts will be cleared by 2D and 3D animations, graphics, audio and video presentations from now on.
Pooja and her 250-odd schoolmates in Rajkiyakrit Jamshedpur Balika Uchcha Vidyalaya at Sakchi, which runs classes from VIII to X, here got a smart class on Tuesday, the first government school in East Singhbhum to do so.
Inside a classroom, the smart class has a touchscreen board connected to a computer system. NCERT course materials in soft copy have been provided in subjects English, Hindi, science, mathematics and social science for Classes VIII to X.
Inaugurated by East Singhbhum DC Amit Kumar, the smart class has been sponsored by Jojobera cement company Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd as a part of their corporate social responsibility and set up by Hyderabad firm Next Education.
Another government cradle, Jamshedpur High School in Dhatkidih, will receive its smart class from Nuvoco Vistas soon.
"Though the government has decided to install smart classes in 22 10 plus two schools, it gives me immense pleasure to see this (private initiative) starting here. Students will really be helped," DC Kumar said after planting a sapling on campus in the presence of schoolgirls, district education officer R.K.P. Singh and teachers.
Headmistress Manju Sinha said the smart class was a boon for her students as the school did not have a science teacher or a Hindi teacher for the past three and two years, respectively.
"Our science teacher retired about three years ago," the principal said. "Since then we have been managing somehow. Usually the maths teacher takes up science classes. With smart class, they will at least understand concepts of science and can appear in examinations," she added.
Sinha said her school teachers had already been trained to use the smart class and Next Education officials would visit the school twice a week to help out. "Teachers are preparing a routine so that all the girls of the school get their turn in the smart class," she said.
Asked, Pooja said so far she thought only private English medium school students had access to such hi-tech facilities. "Now, we are also no less than anyone else," she beamed. "Our classes will become really exciting now."
