The Jharkhand government with an aim to strengthen uninterrupted online education in schools has decided to give television sets to schools. As classroom teaching is suspended at schools, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the education department is going to focus on online education.

A senior education department official said, "As offline education is suspended due to corona pandemic. We have decided to give more importance to online education at schools so that student studies are not affected” The official said that under the scheme schools will be provided Rs 20, 000 each for purchasing television sets or projectors.

Once the schools purchase television sets or projectors, the respective schools will be provided with teaching content. The respective schools will have to download the contents in their pen drive. After downloading the education content the schools can teach students though downloaded content in television sets or projectors.

 Sources said that there are around 35,000 schools in Jharkhand but less than 1500 have television sets. Sources said that as most of the schools have electricity connection these schools won't have power problems in running television or projectors.

Sources said that as Jharkhand government is yet to take a decision on reopening of schools the education department is focusing on online education.

Jharkhand Education Project Council project director Shailesh Kumar Chaurasiya said, “The state government has constituted a high level committee comprising chief secretary and disaster management authority for reopening of schools.”

The committee will go through various parameters and safety norms ahead of opening up of schools. Schools will be asked to follow all safety measures of Covid 19 pandemic for opening up schools. Guidelines such as wearing of masks, gloves and keeping sanitizers will be mandatory.

Regular thermal scanning of all students will be done. Also, schools will be directed to follow Covid 19 SoPs. Attendance will not be mandatory for students and sitting arrangements of students will be made keeping social distancing.

Sources said that initial phase classes secondary and higher secondary will be opened followed by elementary schools.