Thiruvananthapuram, May 27 (IANS): Kerala Education Minister V.Sivankutty on Thursday said that with the Covid pandemic continuing its surge, the new academic school year will start in the online mode from June 1, this time as well.
Sivankutty said that at the moment there is no way one can think of returning to classrooms and hence like the previous academic year, this time also it would be in the digital mode.
"The classes will be aired through KITE-Victers (an edutainment channel). Certain changes have been made to make the classes more interesting and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate it on June 1. The state level inauguration would be held at the Cotton Hill Girls School here," said Sivankutty.
As the first step, during the first week, there would be bridging classes to connect with what happened in the last academic year to ensure seamless continuity in the digital mode.
"This time, we are planning to hold interactive classes with the teachers coming live from their classroom and we are working out to have sessions which would give the students a real classroom feel," said KITE CEO, K.Anvar Sadath.
In the previous academic year, when the pandemic began, KITE had developed more than 8,300 digital classes and was aired through KITE Victers channel as part of the First Bell programme.
All the classes from Pre-primary to 12th Standards was held in the digital mode last year and the same would happen this time too.
Sivankutty also added that the annual welcome function for the kids who enter the field of education for the first time will also be able to be held virtually.
"Leading lights like superstar Mammootty, Mohanlal, Prithiviraj and other personalities will be present online along with the Chief Minister to welcome the kids," added Sivankutty.
He said like the previous years, this time too school students will be given handloom material for their school uniforms and for that 39 lakh metres of such material will be given to 9,39,107 students and for those who do not get it, will be given an allowance of Rs 600 to buy.
Sivankutty also urged individuals and organisations to come forward to provide electronic gadgets to school kids, so that they can have their online education in the best manner possible.