If there’s one thing we’ve realised during this lockdown is the fact that we’ve all had to rely on our devices, WiFi, and stable electricity to be able to do our jobs. Children being home-schooled also need laptops and stable internet to be able to learn and keep up with their curriculum.
But what about those less fortunate than us? The Chhatrapati Shivaji Vidyalay in one of Asia’s largest slums, Dharavi, Mumbai, is a government school for the underprivileged. And 500 students studying in the 10th and 12th standards, preparing to appear for their board exams this April, are in need of smartphones and tablets that will enable them to do so.
Since the pandemic struck, all schools have been closed, with students forced to connect with their classmates on a virtual classroom. This means, students with no access to devices, have been deprived of their fundamental right to education.
The data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) this year, indicates a digital divide and the gap in learning between those who have, and those who cannot afford it. It’s been almost a year since the lockdown and over 60,000 students missed out on their learning for the fact that they didn’t have access to smartphones or tablets that allowed them to attend online classes. Of these, 20,000 students could not afford the internet.
Faye D’souza, journalist and television news anchor, and her team visited the narrow lanes of Dharavi. “Data has told us that in the last one year during the lockdown, there have been at least 60,000 student in Mumbai who have not had access to smartphones in order to study online, and another 20,00 students according to Hindustan Times, have smartphones but their parents cannot afford the internet,” she says in her video report. The video then goes on to list out the various hardships these children and their families undergo.
In an attempt to provide them with the education they deserve, a fundraiser to raise funds to provide 500 students with smartphones/tablets to complete their studies and take their exams. The goal is to bridge this digital divide and give these students a fair shot.
If you’d like to contribute, head here: https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/fundraiser-to-raise-3-lakh-to-buy-500-tablets-for-dharavi-students