Students at the government senior secondary school in Barundhan, a village in the Bundi district of the state of Rajasthan in India, are more eager than before to attend classes every day. They are now exposed to ways of learning they have never experienced before, are introduced to interactive learning just like their peers in any major city in the state. Connectivity has opened the learning possibilities tremendously, bringing them closer to their urban counterparts.

The digital revolution is fast penetrating every sector. It is proving to be the cornerstone to improve and evolve important sectors such as education, a major focus for India. Digitization is key to revamping our education system in more ways than one. It can help bridge the urban-rural education divide, not just in terms of access but the quality of learning as well. It facilitates reach to the remotest corners of the country, reaching every last child and opening platforms for interactive models to improve the education outcomes. Challenges such as teacher vacancies, with more than 10 lakh vacant posts in government schools across the country, can be addressed with connectivity. Students in a far-off school can be connected to teachers and experts from anywhere in the country. It also allows for enhanced personal learning as students can have access to personal devices. It can also pave the way to incorporate systems where students can have better communication channels with teachers, a streamlined assessment and feedback system. 

 

When students are exposed to such connected learning experiences in a new education environment, it drastically improves the education indicators. The impact that last mile digital connectivity will have on the education system in India is paramount. It isn’t a surprise that the Indian e-learning market is poised to grow leaps and bounds by the end of this year. The government’s priorities for this sector are also clear with the recent announcement of an INR 9000 crore plan to digitize education in India.  They are emphasizing on the use of tools such as virtual labs and VR enabled classrooms for both teachers and students. Teacher’s training programs by the government such as Swayam have already seen the use of technology-enabled platforms. The government’s goal for improved learning outcomes and delivery of education, especially in rural and semi-urban ecosystems, can only be realized with ubiquitous connectivity and digital penetration. 

 

With better digital penetration, wide-spread Wi-Fi networks, it becomes easier to connect to the last mile, and it also takes into consideration the affordability of implementation. We have witnessed the transformation that our Wi-Fi networks have brought about in the remotest schools in Rajasthan. This new connected education environment is what will propel our education reforms. Private sectors, in partnership with the government, can help build this solid ecosystem for such reforms to be implemented everywhere in the country, so that every last child gets an opportunity for equal learning and quality education. 

 

The author is Founder and Director, LMES iConnectWe – an organization committed to bridging the rural-urban divide by bringing a technology revolution via connectivity.