Online education is fast becoming the new norm, and is just as quickly being adopted by urban students. Most have immediate access to technology as well as fairly techno-savvy parents who are able to adapt and equip their wards towards this new system.

But what about those for whom these opportunities are out of reach?

Our below-poverty-line (BPL) students belong to a strata of society with zero opportunity or access to tech. Their parents survive on daily wages or work in unorganised sectors and are often illiterate. Technology is a distant dream, a luxury for most.

MMCT Project Pandita has, over three years, empowered these students with confidence and a thirst for knowledge. It has handheld them through basic concepts of maths and science, as well as life skills like hygiene, civic sense and community living.

Our current challenge

Our girls have worked hard, often facing resistance from family, and made huge strides towards a life of dignity and choice. But now, with the COVID situation, this progress is under serious threat. A lack of devices and internet connectivity has given rise to a new set of concerns. With the inability to connect, we fear a high rate of drop-outs, some even resulting in early marriage at the age of 14-15 or child labour. For those who choose to continue, the gap caused by the current lockdown will put them far behind their peers, resulting in a drop in their confidence levels and, possibly, motivation to study.

The need of the hour

Our requirement is clear and urgent. We not only need to set up an online learning system but also equip our students with the technology to access it. Our plan is to create, record and host online sessions and interactive worksheets on our website, which can be accessed by our teachers and students. The courses will run for 24 weeks, through 48 video clips and live online sessions.