Harshil Gala is CEO at Navneet Toptech, a fast-growing ed-tech company that focuses on rendering eLearning solutions to schools in India. Harshil has led eSense through significant and rapid growth to emerge as the largest digital learning solution provider to top schools in India.
The schooling system in rural India has long struggled to compete with its urban counterparts. When the pandemic necessitated schools to go online overnight, many struggled with digital delivery. Children from government schools across the country, particularly those in rural areas, faced issues such as a lack of smartphones, limited or no access to the internet, and connectivity issues.
According to a UN report, India has the largest youth population with around 67% of youth residing in rural areas Therefore, it is crucial to equip them with the required tools to reach their full potential. By encouraging technological intervention, a foundation can be laid for improving the quality, accessibility, and affordability of education in rural India. Digital classrooms can help improve rural education by giving students access to resources and knowledge that would otherwise be unavailable.
By equipping teachers with multimedia teaching tools and involving students in learning techniques, the aforementioned gap gets reduced. Education can be digitalized in rural areas by using modern resources such as smartboards, LCD screens, and videos to impart various concepts. This will also empower teachers to deliver information remotely through multiple channels, thereby increasing efficiency. Tech-enabled schools in India will enable bridging of the digital divide by urging people to adopt newer technologies.
Now a days with an increase in internet usage, more individuals are able to benefit from the wealth of resources and knowledge on the web. Ed-Tech platforms have become a popular trend in this scenario. The following are a few ways that technology and digitalization have changed the landscape of rural education:
A greater selection of course options
Along with having smaller student counts, rural schools frequently have fewer teaching professionals. Smaller faculty sizes limit a school’s ability to provide specialised learning content and offer a wider variety of class subjects. By adopting online classes, students and teachers can customize learning and teaching. Technology provides opportunity for students and teachers to connect to large masses and engage in more fun, interactive sessions. Digital learning, also enables vocational learning apart from academics.
Creating equal opportunity
Our goal should be to bring ‘education to people’ rather than ‘education for people’. Technology will provide equal opportunity if quality education is made available to all people. Education, through technology, allows people to access updated content easily, even in the most remote areas. Growing awareness and accessibility of the internet and smart devices enable rural schools to adopt quality education.
Aiding with awareness and career possibilities
Digital learning platforms offer much more than just instructional materials. Furthermore, they encourage students to think outside the box and enhance their creative abilities. Digital education provides the know-how of the industry, helping students to make better decisions for the future. Additionally, it helps them to develop their practical and soft skills, which makes them stand out in the application pool.
Better government policies to enable digitized education
The government has taken note of the many advantages of using the internet to deliver education. Both state and central governments are all in favour of implementing blended learning strategies. Even in the most undeveloped areas, academic needs can be met by the government with the help of these models. This data secured from the blended models also help authorities shape relevant policies.