Smart Secondary School from education to treatment

BIRATNAGAR: AUGUST 22 -Saraswati Namuna Secondary School teacher in Morang’s Gramthan Rural Municipality -2 has not been free even during the COVID-19 period. They are taking online classes every day. The school, which has 1183 students, has effectively provided online laptops to all the teachers and made the students technology-friendly. There are 651 students in the school and 532 students, out of which 250 are English medium students.

The school, which used to be taught under a leaky roof three years ago, now has a concrete school building. Attempts are being made to make the classroom technology-friendly by connecting new things. The school has 35 computers for students.

The school, which started as an ICT lab, has started commuting three years ago. Teachers and students say that the school, which used to be forced to teach from a small computer, is now becoming physically and technically strong.

Strong in structure

Established in 2014 BS, the school was in its old condition. There were structures during the 2045 earthquake. The school has stated that the old tin roofed and temporary building has been replaced by a new one in three years. Ashok Luintel, principal of the school, said that the building was replaced by a new structure in 2075/076 BS after the model school master plan came into operation. At present, a three-storey school building with 16 rooms has been constructed with an investment of over Rs 10 million.

According to Principal Luintel, Rs 20 million has been spent on the construction of structures including science laboratory and civil engineering lab and assembly hall. The ICT lab has 35 desktops and teachers have been given 30 laptops. In the first phase, laptops have been provided in the last fiscal year as per one teacher-one laptop scheme. Similarly, an interactive board has been set up in the school and a smart TV has been installed in the children’s classroom.

Each classroom is equipped with a technology-friendly audio information system with CCTVs. The school has stated that around Rs 3 million has been spent on ICT. The school has stated that Math Lab has been brought into operation to connect mathematics with life. The school claims that the math laboratory is a model laboratory of the state.

Many schools have been listed as model schools under the federal government’s model school program. These schools have already started a pilot program. The federal government has been sending Rs 15 million to schools every year in the sample program.

The school has started a campaign to make the school a model school on the basis of a model school master plan after receiving Rs 15 million in FY 2075/07.

In the first year, 65 percent of the disbursed amount was spent on physical education, 35 percent on education and 10 percent on management.

From the budget of the first year, the school had built a four-room concrete structure under the construction of physical infrastructure. In the same year, according to the model school master plan, ICT teachers, midwives and primary level English medium teachers and one administrative staff were managed, school principal Luintel told Makalu Khabar.

Similarly, the school has purchased additional structure of the second floor, construction of science laboratory and meeting hall, desktop computer and projector from Rs. 15 million received in the fiscal year 2076/07. According to the school, the internal management of the office has been done along with the management of the children’s classroom, construction of taps and tanks for drinking water purification, sports materials, math lab, a teacher, a laptop, interactive board, CCTV camera connection, laying blocks in the school playground in the fiscal year 2077/78 as in previous fiscal years at a cost of Rs. 15 million.

Online at Lockdown

Most of the community schools were closed during the lockdown. Most of the teachers/students stayed at home as there were problems such as lack of access to information technology and lack of computers with the teachers. However, the school management committee chairperson Shyam Sardar said that the school had not been closed for a few days due to difficulties in Saraswati Namuna Secondary School.

He said that textbooks have been distributed to the students, in turn, distribution of teaching aids from the Government of Nepal, online classes for those who have access to WiFi and data packs and information on radio and television programs for those who do not have access to online education and human resource development.

The online class was started from 2077 BS. Earlier, this time the students were called to the school and given information through group discussions. They took online classes from home. Although the virtual class was run till Mangshir (November/December), the class was conducted physically from Mangshir (November/December). However, after the devastation of COVID-19, the study could not be held after April 23, 2021.

Online

There were no educational activities in the school from last April to July. Adhis Acharya, ICT teacher of the school informed that the school enrollment program started on June 15 and virtual classes have been conducted since then. Although the school has not been able to accommodate the pre-primary level children, the school has facilitated the teaching of classes 1 to 3 by going to the toll road once a week.

According to teacher Acharya, the attendance of students in the online class is satisfactory. According to Acharya, 12 out of 36 students in class 4, 21 out of 30 students in class 5, 40 out of 65 students in class 6 and 61 out of 80 students in class 7 participate. The school administration claims that 80 out of 97 students in class 8, 130 out of 160 students in class 9 and 145 out of 170 students in class 10 study online.

Fifteen teachers take online classes daily. There are 3 classes a day from 6:30 am to 9:30 am. ‘If a subject is taught on Sunday, you have to wait until Wednesday to teach that subject the next day. There is study every two days, ‘said Acharya,’ every subject is taught 2 days a week and science and mathematics are taught 4 days a week. ‘

Civil Engineering

Earlier, for study, someone must go to urban areas to study civil engineering and overseer. Many parents could not pay the fee and the students did not want to teach. In recent days, community schools on the technical side have also started teaching engineering in villages. Saraswati Namuna Higher Secondary School is one of them. This school had started civil engineering class from class 9 in 2076 BS.

There are about 120 students studying up to class 11 in the civil engineering department with the permission of the Education and Human Resource Development Center. Luitel, the school’s principal, said that this has especially benefited the Dalit and poor tribals. He also informed that students has to pay Rs 9,000 annually for studying civil engineering.

Namuna Nursing

Not everyone who enters the school is aware of the school nursing program when they enter the school. Arrangements have been made so that if someone falls ill at school, they do not have to go anywhere for treatment.

A school nursing program has been started in the school especially targeting adolescents. Arrangements have been made for separate treatment in one room. There is also a bed for the sick. The school’s principal, Luintel, said arrangements had been made for emergency treatment.