ITANAGAR, 18 Oct: The education department has claimed that the e-studio which is established at the directorate of school education, Itanagar is an excellent example of state of art in Arunachal Pradesh which can cater to the need of the virtual teaching-learning of the students. Therefore, it is neither parachuted nor ill-intended project, said Amjad Tak, commissioner education.
The statement came in response to an investigation published in this daily where it showed that e-learning studio and virtual classroom had failed despite expenditure of lakhs of rupees.
The e-studio is a good resource centre for the state to develop e-content to impart education at all levels in
Arunachal Pradesh and will set a good example of e-learning, he said.
Below is the full statement from the department.
In line with the Ministry of Education’s guidelines and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, online education is a crucial component of the current educational policy in Arunachal Pradesh. The COVID-19 pandemic made physical classes unfeasible, necessitating the adoption of open-source digital learning solutions and e-learning management software, the statement read.
A location within the new block of the secondary education directorate building was identified for the e-learning project. Collaboration with IIT Madras and NPTEL, known for their expertise, was considered. Detailed project estimates were submitted by Krishnan Krishnamurty from IIT Madras after extensive discussions. However, the proposed Memorandum of Understanding had some issues and was under consideration with modifications.
IIT Madras sent experts to Arunachal Pradesh, highlighting the need for a resilient network for successful e-learning implementation.
Apart their proposals were not rejected by the govt. of Arunachal Pradesh and were kept for consideration with some modifications in the proposals.
It has wrongly been alleged that IIT, Madras had invested a lot in the project as because in this connection two persons from IIT, Madras (1 (one) faculty and 1 (one) vendor) had visited Arunachal Pradesh for its proper implementation at the Central e-Studio as well as receiving end Virtual Classrooms to be established in the various schools of Arunachal Pradesh.
An urgent requirement led to a Rs. 25 lakh sanction from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Quotations were invited from various firms, and Shree Shyam Traders, Gandhi Chowk, Doomdooma, Assam, offered the lowest rate.
The IT department of Arunachal Pradesh vetted the selected firm’s technical specifications and compared them with IIT Madras’s proposals. The project, executed by the education department’s engineering wing, included civil works, furnishings, and equipment procurement. An estimated project cost of Rs. 800 lakh was partially sanctioned, with Rs. 160.85 lakh paid for execution.
The e-studio was utilized for recording Science and Maths classes during COVID-19 and broadcasted through various channels. Subsequently, the SCERT in Arunachal Pradesh used the e-studio for content development. A portion of the e-studio is now operated by ISSE as Vidya Samiksha Kendra, aligning with the ministry of education’s proposal. Proper functioning of the central e-studio awaits the establishment of internet connectivity through V-SAT or other means at the 100 higher secondary schools in Arunachal Pradesh.
