<p>While all government schools and colleges in Kerala as well as many states are remaining shut owing to Covid, one primary school situated in a remote tribal village is conducting regular classes.</p>.<p>Government Tribal Lower Primary School at Edamalakkudy, the first tribal panchayat of Kerala, which is situated in the forest areas of Idukki district, is the lone government school having regular classes now.</p>.<p>The panchayat was already in the news as so far <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/edamalakkudy-the-lone-covid-free-panchayat-in-kerala-984782.html" target="_blank">no Covid cases</a> were reported there, which is also considered to be an unique achievement. Online classes for students living in 26 hamlets in the panchayat was nearly impossible owing to poor connectivity and unavailability of gadgets like smart phones and laptops. These factors prompted the authorities of the lone school in the panchayat to conduct regular classes, but by strictly following Covid protocol.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/kerala-takes-steps-to-provide-e-learning-facility-in-tribal-hamlets-995647.html" target="_blank">Kerala takes steps to provide e-learning facility in tribal hamlets</a></strong></p>.<p>Headmaster Vasudevan Pillai told <em>DH</em> that since the panchayat was situated deep in the forest and internet connectivity was very poor, online classes were not practical. Though efforts were made last year to play recorded classes, it also involved practical difficulties as one had to walk 14 kilometres through the forests to reach the panchayat. The learning process of the students was also affected. Hence the students were asked to turn up to the schools and the parents were also cooperating.</p>.<p>Following intensive door-to-door awareness campaigns by the teachers over the years, the student strength of the school has been increasing year after year. This academic year, 24 new students joined first standard, taking the total strength of the school to 124. Apart from the classes up to standard four, a Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) centre offering parallel education for fifth to seventh standards is also attached to the school. There are only four teachers and two temporary teachers from the panchayat itself for the SSA.</p>.<p>Congress MP Dean Kuriakose, who is the local MP, has initiated sprucing up the existing infrastructure of the school recently. The walls of the schools were painted and other infrastructure refurbished. He said that efforts were being made to construct a new building for the school by roping in the CSR funds of a public sector undertaking.</p>.<p>Edamalakkudy panchayat managed to keep Covid at bay by imposing self quarantine by the people of the hamlets and by preventing entry of outsiders to the hamlets right from the initial days of Covid last year.</p>
<p>While all government schools and colleges in Kerala as well as many states are remaining shut owing to Covid, one primary school situated in a remote tribal village is conducting regular classes.</p>.<p>Government Tribal Lower Primary School at Edamalakkudy, the first tribal panchayat of Kerala, which is situated in the forest areas of Idukki district, is the lone government school having regular classes now.</p>.<p>The panchayat was already in the news as so far <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/edamalakkudy-the-lone-covid-free-panchayat-in-kerala-984782.html" target="_blank">no Covid cases</a> were reported there, which is also considered to be an unique achievement. Online classes for students living in 26 hamlets in the panchayat was nearly impossible owing to poor connectivity and unavailability of gadgets like smart phones and laptops. These factors prompted the authorities of the lone school in the panchayat to conduct regular classes, but by strictly following Covid protocol.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/kerala-takes-steps-to-provide-e-learning-facility-in-tribal-hamlets-995647.html" target="_blank">Kerala takes steps to provide e-learning facility in tribal hamlets</a></strong></p>.<p>Headmaster Vasudevan Pillai told <em>DH</em> that since the panchayat was situated deep in the forest and internet connectivity was very poor, online classes were not practical. Though efforts were made last year to play recorded classes, it also involved practical difficulties as one had to walk 14 kilometres through the forests to reach the panchayat. The learning process of the students was also affected. Hence the students were asked to turn up to the schools and the parents were also cooperating.</p>.<p>Following intensive door-to-door awareness campaigns by the teachers over the years, the student strength of the school has been increasing year after year. This academic year, 24 new students joined first standard, taking the total strength of the school to 124. Apart from the classes up to standard four, a Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) centre offering parallel education for fifth to seventh standards is also attached to the school. There are only four teachers and two temporary teachers from the panchayat itself for the SSA.</p>.<p>Congress MP Dean Kuriakose, who is the local MP, has initiated sprucing up the existing infrastructure of the school recently. The walls of the schools were painted and other infrastructure refurbished. He said that efforts were being made to construct a new building for the school by roping in the CSR funds of a public sector undertaking.</p>.<p>Edamalakkudy panchayat managed to keep Covid at bay by imposing self quarantine by the people of the hamlets and by preventing entry of outsiders to the hamlets right from the initial days of Covid last year.</p>
