Two teachers from the Ja’fari School in Govandi began a fundraising campaign earlier this week to provide economically troubled students with tools for online education like smartphones, phone recharges, and other support for their families. This step was undertaken to make sure that economic distress doesn’t serve as an impediment to education.
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The fundraising program was started by 5th-grade teachers at the school, Bhagyashree Nambiar and Anisha Chamaria on Ketto.org with a goal of raising just over ₹2 lakhs ($2,857). They said that this step was taken because a large number of the students’ parents work as daily wage earners. Students at the Ja’fari School mostly belong to the slum portions of Govandi.
The teachers further said that their class of 66 pupils only sees attendance from 35 students since learning was shifted online during the pandemic. Despite almost everybody owning smartphones today, many students and their families still suffer to make ends meet. Internet connectivity also remains a problem for several students.
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The fundraiser on ketto.org will be open for more than 45 days and has reportedly raised nearly ₹80,000 so far. The raised money will also be used towards basic stationery needs of the students and covering critical medical expenses, the teachers said. The school is reportedly planning to support the families of students with fee payments for the current year to reduce the number of students dropping out.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has altered the entire education ecosystem. Zoom classes and online exams are the new normal. But unfortunately, not all have the capacity or resources to embrace this change. Children from the low-income community have been affected…The money raised through the Ketto fundraiser will enable us to provide our students with the study materials,” teacher Bhagyashree Nambiar said.
`“We are turning to people to extend support to us, to our children, their siblings, and parents,” Chamaria said.
Users can donate towards the teachers’ cause from the Ketto.org page here.
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