Edtech companies should customise their interventions towards teachers: Ronald Rose

IndiGlobal Bureau

Hyderabad: Edtech companies need to customise their interventions towards the teacher and not the other way round which is the case in a majority of cases, opined Ronald Rose, IAS, Secretary, Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society and Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society at the 2nd IndiGlobal Education Festival. He added, “Tools should enable the teacher so that he or she in turn would disseminate knowledge to the student.” He reasoned, “Do not replace the teacher with content. If a child has to learn content all by himself or herself then there would be no need to come to school. It would be akin to watching a movie. The teacher and the school have a place.”

On experiential learning

Ever since National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was announced, experiential learning has turned into a buzz word. There is no refuting that it is needed but how do we embed experiential learning in the present system with the grading system and exam based system. Where does experiential learning fit in? He added, “There are more than 10,000 teachers in the two societies and it would take years to train all in experiential learning. However, skills, sports skills and all other skills are being taught to the students.”

All the best lines in various policies are packed in NEP 2020 but it would be fruitful only when implemented in the right spirit and in a proper manner.

TSWREIS & TTWREIS shine

Punching above their weight would be the most appropriate way of describing both societies that are churning out students by the thousands who excel in sport as well as education. This year, 750 students cracked the IIT and Medical entrance exams and a good number represented Telangana and India in sports including cricket, handball and volleyball. Ronald Rose said, “There are 2,20,000 students studying in 451 educational Institiutions in both the societies mostly first generation learners. Majority of the parents have never attended school. There is a myth in society that students from the tribal welfare and social welfare schools do not do well.”

Such is the rush for admissions to even grade 5 that an entrance test was held in which 1,47,000 students took the test. Mr Ronald said that every day there is a dharna at his office with close to 300 parents lining up to seek admissions for their wards.

Keeping pace

Keeping pace with the times, new courses with flexibility have been introduced. One can choose Chemistry, Economics and Tourism as a combination. Mr Ronald said that in higher education the societies have been pioneers by introducing data science, law and there is also an armed forces preparatory college. There are 48 sports academies as well. “We introduced a course in International Relations. We tied up with French Embassy too and French would be taught.”

The students from both the societies are not only doing well at the state level but have bagged jobs even in foreign countries. Many are now doing under-graduate and post-graduate courses in foreign universities. Majority of the Telangana Handball team comprises players from Social and Tribal Welfare institutions.