VALPOI
They may have a great interest in pursuing education, but three underprivileged students from a remote part of Sattari taluka have been disconnected from online SSC classes simply because their families cannot afford mobile phones and internet facilities.
Efforts are now afoot by a group of journalists from Sattari taluka to mobilise funds for three new smartphones or to get people to donate their old phones which can be used for the purpose.
With schools and colleges switching to online classes due to the Covid pandemic, three children of underprivileged families from Harijanwada-Malpan in Khotoda-Sattari have not been able to attend a single online SSC class at a high school in Barabhumi.
Harijanwada in Malpan is located in a remote area in Sattari and has been largely deprived of development. Nevertheless, local panch member, Santosh Gaonkar, managed to provide some facilities in the area.
However, the 12 families living in Harijanwada have been struggling to make ends meet and the adults have been without jobs since the Covid pandemic. This has made it virtually impossible for three children to get smartphones for their SSC classes.
“We have a great interest in education but we don’t know how we can attend online classes in the absence of mobile phones and internet access,” said Nikita Parwar, one of the three students.
“Online classes have begun at the Barabhumi High School, but we have been unable to pursue online education due to lack of mobile phone and internet facilities,” she added.
Responding to their plight, local journalists from the Sattari Patrakar Sangh (SPS) have begun efforts to make smartphones available to the three SSC students.
They have appealed for funds to purchase new phones or have sought support from people to donate their used phones, which can be handed over to the three students.
The SRS has also teamed up with a social worker Nilesh Parwar (Ph: 7620258795) in this effort to provide mobile phones to the three underprivileged students to enable them to pursue online classes.
