Without internet, Bonda students struggle with online classes

The forested hill region of Bondaghati that is home to the Bonda tribe is hardly connected to the internet affecting the education of nearly 500 tribal students.

Bondaghati (Odisha):With the teaching going online due to the coronavirus induced lockdown, the situation has worsened the plight of Odisha’s children's education in Bondaghati of Malkangiri District.

The forested hill region of Bondaghati that is home to the Bonda tribe is hardly connected to the internet affecting the education of nearly 500 tribal students.

Mudulupada and Andrahal- both the panchayats in the Bondaghati do not have 3G or 4G internet connections.

While some students can be seen perched on hilltops for a signal, others can be seen sitting roadside five kilometres away from the village hoping to get connected.

Even after much struggle if the students do not get access to the internet for classes, they become disappointed and disinterested in studies.

Students who don't have access to 3G or 4G phones have started working in agricultural fields.

Since the children are being deprived of education, the teachers, as well as the guardians, have lost all their interest in education.

While the situation seems worse, the local MLA has assured that very soon arrangements would be made to teach the students through television.

The Odisha government had asked its higher secondary schools as well as degree colleges to start online classes from July 13 while asking them to prepare online content for the students.

The director of higher secondary education had also asked the principal of the higher secondary schools in the state to explore online methods like WhatsApp and e-mails.