S. Ajayakumar
Principal, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom
S. Ajayakumar (centre left) is principal of the CBSE-affiliated Central government-promoted Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom (Kerala), ranked India’s #1 government day school in the latest EW India School Rankings 2020-21. Currently, KVP has 4,500 students tutored by 117 teachers on its muster rolls.
How satisfied are you with KV Pattom’s shift to the virtual mode of learning over the past year?
More than satisfied. With full government support we made immediate arrangements for moving teaching-learning to the digital mode. Unlike recorded videos which do not offer real time interaction, we opted for the integrated Google GSuite learning platform. Moreover, use of Augmented Reality apps and several new technology tools added diversity to students’ learning experience. As a result, we are deeply connected with all our students and teachers. The school’s transition to online classes was smooth and no academic or co-curricular activity has been discontinued thus far.
How did you overcome the challenges posed by lack of digital gadgets, Internet connectivity, etc?
When teaching-learning moved to online mode, we ensured that none of our children were unconnected. We conducted a comprehensive survey to identify students without access to Internet connectivity and digital devices. More than 40 smartphones were procured with the support of staff, PTA, Charity Club and our alumni association for distribution to students who needed them.
What major remedial programmes have you introduced to address the issue of learning loss?
To maintain online learning continuity of our students, all academic and extra-curricular activities including sports, art education and library activities were integrated into the daily time table. A total 30 webinars on diverse subjects including career guidance, mental health, food habits, yoga, creative writing, safe online behaviour, story-telling have been successfully organised. We also connected with our parents community on a regular basis through online PTA (parent teacher association) meetings.
A unique initiative to minimise knowledge loss was to digitise school library operations. As a result, students can now access the library on their mobile phones. This initiative offers students online resources to support learning and spend their free time reading.
What are your future plans to deal with pandemic disruptions?
As uncertainty over re-opening of schools continues, we are adjusting to the changing scenario by providing our students contemporary online learning on a par with global standards. An array of new-age technology tools like Wakelet, Flipgrid, Bookcreator, Quizzes, Kahoot and co-curricular activities have been introduced and numerous workshops and professional teacher training programmes organised. Bearing the pandemic’s psychological impact on our students in mind, we intend to organise interactive counseling sessions. A plan to launch a comprehensive mobile app to support all academic transactions and communication is also in the pipeline.
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