Teachers turn to WhatsApp for Board vigil on students

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, February 16

Teachers at government schools are leaving no stone unturned to procure better academic results this time in Class X and XII examinations.

A new initiative under the ‘Parho Punjab Parhao Punjab’ project has been started by the teachers in the majority of the schools in Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Nawanshahr wherein active use of WhatsApp groups is being made to keep an eye over the study routine of the students.

Calling WhatsApp a boon, if used wisely, Bandana Puri, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Khothran, said: “Teachers have been asked to properly guide students during school and after school to achieve better results. Moreover, teachers are also making calls to students in the wee hours to wake them up and even students are free to call teachers till 11 in the night.”

Puri said besides WhatsApp groups, extra classes have also been arranged by teachers for Class X and XII students. “After school hours, those students who have difficulty especially in maths or science subject stay back to attend extra classes and we had even made a list of weak students and special attention is being paid on them,” she added.

Another teacher Harmanjot Kaur of Government Senior Secondary School here said: “There are 32 students in my class and 22 of them are using WhatsApp, while for the 10 who do not have smartphones, we make calls to them on their parents’ phone and ask them if they are facing any difficulty in any of the subject or are properly following the study routine.”

Same response was received from teachers from Kapurthala and Nawanshahr who said: “To have better results for the state we are making sure that students are completely prepared in every subject, especially science and maths. Also, teachers have derived special learning plans for students to follow.”

Varindervir Singh, District Coordinator, Parho Punjab Parhao Punjab’ project, said, on the instructions of Education Secretary Krishan Kumar, all teachers had been asked to come up with unique ideas to assist students and help them secure good marks.

He said by making use of laptops and smartphones, teachers were helping students prepare notes and group studies were also being conducted so that students discuss their knowledge and issues with each other too.

Varindervir said special workshops were held in which teachers were asked to prepare study material for the students that includes all important questions from samples papers as well other frequently asked questions.

Besides, teachers are also making students aware of various education apps that could help them learn lessons in a more effective way, he added.