Pune school sets an example amid the pandemic

A government school in Pune went from being an obscure state school to having new-age teaching methods. The school also has the distinction of being the state’s first tablet-run Zila Parishad school. The school also has new-age teaching methods and state-of-the-art classrooms, the transformation which was possible due to the hard work and dedication of teachers.

Pune (Maharashtra): Teachers hold a special place in any society and play a vital role in shaping the lives of its young generation. To honour this dedication of teachers, Teachers Day is celebrated all over the world on different days.

In India, teachers day is celebrated on 5th September, the birthday of Former President of India Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

A Zila Parishad school in the Wablewadi village in Shirur, Pune been able to continue its tradition of teaching in a variety of ways even during these testing times. The school has been able to set an example for other government schools to follow. The school has been able to achieve such a feat owing to the dedication of its teachers.

The school has become an ideal model as the first zero-energy school in India and the third in the world. The school is also credited with being the first tablet school in the state. The name of the school is 'Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International School'.

Wablewadi is a small village of 50 to 60 houses located at a distance of 2.5 km from Shikrapur in Shirur taluka. The population of this village is around four hundred. The village had a school six years ago with two leaky rooms and collapsed walls. The headmaster of the school Dattatraya Ware transformed the school by setting up the school with the help of the villagers and students. Today, this school has become an inspiration for the world's education sector.

Looking at the glass rooms of this school, it looks like a hotel abroad. The Art of Living Foundation and the Bank of New York have been instrumental in making this beautiful building. This school has become the first zero-energy school not only in the state but also in the country.

The classrooms of this Zilla Parishad school are made entirely of glass and are 22 feet wide, 22 feet long and 24 feet high. All of these rooms are eco-friendly. In these classrooms, the light expands and the air continues to play. Furthermore, the Zero Energy Room does not require maintenance and repair.

Not only students learn in this place, but also the holistic development of the children along with the study is emphasized.

Admission to this Zilla Parishad school for the next two years has been completed and more than four thousand students are on the waiting list. On the other hand, teachers, officials and parents from different states visit the school to see the quality and teaching methods of the school. Many state governments are preparing to implement the Zero Energy School model in their state.

Meanwhile, all schools in Pune district have been shut due to COVID. However, to prevent this from affecting students' studies, students and teachers at the school started three hours of online learning every day through the Zoom-Meeting application.

116 students from class VI to IX participate in this online learning method three hours a day. The Zoom-Meeting application has come as handy and enabled all students to come to the same platform and start an online learning system. Accordingly, students from 6th to 9th were instructed on how to use ID and password.

Apart from this, the school also implemented the concepts of 'Subject Friend' and 'Group Home Schooling'. This successful experiment came from Guruji's concept of school wind. In this, students are becoming teachers and working to teach small class students.

434 students from 30 villages coming to the school were imparted education through group-home-schooling at 34 places in their own village near home. This included teacher guidance through video calling. Parents also took an active part in this. This enabled a smooth process while imparting education.

Despite COVID pandemic, the education system run at Wablewadi school under the guidance of teachers following the rules of social distance is ideal for every school in the country.

ETV Bharat salutes the teachers who hold the umbilical cord of education tight on the occasion of Teachers' Day!