Challenges faced due to the digital divide among teachers The rapid shift to eleerning prompted by the pandemic has brought to light ong-stancing issu88 of inequality and & digital vide thet must be edldrazsed by future acencenic, ‘education and digitalization policies While the ambition toaspand e-leuming is impressive, most governmant ‘schoolteachers and students lack the tools, infrastweture ‘nd capacity ta be # part ofthis cigtalization process. ‘Some of the key chalenges faced by teachers are: + Low espacity in digital and elessning shils — very fou teachers had prior taining or experience of delivering high quality lessons through # blended approach using diital tools and online platforms. This wil lead to further inequalities in children's qualty of eerning between these Whose texchers had higher capacity versus those who dd not + Poor systemic support — teachers falt inadequately supported by the gavemment. They were nat provided vwith the digital tots (mobile phones, laptops, reliable internet connectivity etc} they needed te continue teaching fram a distance: tmey received no guidance fn haw ta navigate the overwhelming content on ‘eteeming plfarms such es DIKSHA; and there vras limited guidance on how to reach ail children. bn some tates teachers dil not even vecaive thai salaries, Inability to reach all stusents — wath limited capacity ‘and access to good technology, teachers struggled to reach al their children, especially earners in remate area oF at risk of cropping out + Preference for in-person teaching ~ there was consensus smiong teachers and union representatives thatintersetion with children cannot be replaced by voluminous content, no matter how audio-isually sriking it may be. (One of the ctcal challenges as counts move towards sing technology to compamant clessromn-basee leering, cor even offer an alernatve to face toface teaching. & teachers’ capacity. The digtal dive for teachers must bbe reduced, and they must be prepared, consulted and situated wathin an enabling ecosystem to lead this process. Lessons learned “The following lessons, which inform the recommendations, focus on the challanges faced by Indian teachers and have ‘been identified through reflection on the avalable iterature nd interviews with kay stakehasars ‘Strategic planning ~ Counties across the world have had to take drastic measures to euto the spread af the COVID-12 virus, aften leaving people unprepared for the consequences. Schools and tesehers were completely unprepared io make an overnight switch from classroom based to distance leering for an indeterminete period of tee, Forward planning and time for preparstion, including tescher training, school hygiene and building ‘tuaent famiiaty wth information and communications technology ICT) could have made it easier for the fedueation sector fo.adapt to school closures. Leaming from this experience is essential for daviaing a strategic response to similar emergencies in the future, ‘Acknowledging and addressing the digital divide— Davice and data affordably, plus network cannectiity Infrastructure, have been the largest challenges to continued learning, according to parents end teechers. ‘Animparant preraquisia is the astablshmant of a stable and widespread power infrastructure which provides ‘elise, cheap and uninterupted electricity to support teetnology use “Teacher support —Teachers are the comerstona of the education system, They are crucial i the overall development of cilaten and must be provided with al the necessary tools to perform thei duties successfull, Given the ambition ta move towe(ds@ blendedearning ‘edueation system thare is @ need te considar the changing role of teachers, as wel es what professional development ‘and support they need EdTech roll out— In addltion to issues around sccess, nevigation and quaity, there seems to be growing scepticiam around the purpose and effectiveness of feearming, Buyin from teachers, administrators snd parents is crucial forthe successful rollout and adoption of EdTech initiatives. here also needs to be a recognition of the imeplaceable value addition of in-person interaction of studenis and teachers in schools. Holistic develooment of children in schools (through interaction with their peers of éfferent cultural and vagus Backgrounds, group wrk, play end 2 strong sense of community! leads to social cohesion, talerance and peacebuilding. The development of these soft sls through long-term interpersonal relations land the celebration of India's varsity cannat ba dupliested celine or through technology.Responses to COVID-19 “The Government has taken several stens to reduce the nagathe impact of COWID-19 on the education sector. Tha ‘system has been quick to transition to distance learning, ‘aachers have worked hard to adapt ta the changing nature of their role, and parents and communities have ‘come together to support their childrens lesening. India's ‘education sector saw a surge in solutions to suppor ‘students during the COVID-19 locksiown, They included ‘core remate-earning solutions (waditional tools such 183 textbooks and home visits, tech-enabled and mass ‘communication solutions such as WhatsAApp, YouTube, TV and radio, and blended solutions that combine faceto- face with eeaming) and leaming enabling solutions (such as midday meals, sanitation kits and monetary support “The Ministry of Education has also made a strong ettort taereate a repasitary af laaming content and implement EdTech interventions {in partnership with NGOs} to increase access to aigial earning. Notable gavemmant ‘elearning platforms include Digital Infrastructure for Knawiedg2 Sharing (DIKSHAY, ePathshala, Sayer and ‘the National Repository of Open Educational Resources, (NROERI, ‘State governments have the responsibilty for implementing the policies and guideines developed by ‘central government. Responsas to COVID-19 therefore ‘vary by state, with solutions for learning continuity tlre tolocal needs: Gujrat focussed.on distribuing OR-coded textbooks: Bihar and Uttar Pradesh focussed on leaning ‘programmes on TV; Assam distributed worksheets along with midday meals: Kerala also focussed on textbook ‘dstibution and WhatsAnp groups." Oxishe has turned toradia as online classes fale to reach all students ‘due to poor mobile connectivity." The Ministry of Home ‘Atfais Orde ot September 2020" allowed states to begin phased reopening of schools from 15 Octobes, except in containment zones. The decision ta reopen rests with the state gavemnments. While decsion making based on the fecal context is important, this means that students across India had varying experiences of returning to school ‘Sepanding on where they lve, wich further widens the learning divide within and benween states. Evidence fram prolonged school closures in the past shows that such disruptions can set children back fo lif. It is theretore crucial tt quick. large-scale and standardized ceffons are made to recognize and address the leasing gaps. This is especialy the case-for early grades where solid foundational skill are essential for leering progress Basie itaracy levels, language and mathematics must be assessed, and adaptive remedial strategies put in | place to help chidren eateh up. intistives ike Pratham’s “Teaching at the Aight Level’ through “learning camps! and eccompanied assessments can be adopted widely to reduce the learning inequalities amang younger childran resulting from distance learning. ln July 20220, the Union Cabinet approved the NEP 2020 Under the Ministry of Eduestion. The Pokey comes ata Unique time and provides the government with various avenues to build a mate holistic and resilent education ‘ystam as India comas out af the pandamio. NEP 2020, is ambitious in both scope and scale, end ervisions 2 complate overhaul of the education sector. The proposed allocation of 6 per cent of India's grass domestic product (GDP) to the sector indicates the government's commitment to making the visian a reality. “National Edueation Policy of 2020 ie looking te bring «paradigm shift in howewe,as a society, peroaive ‘education and how it is imparted in schools across the country. In fact, it makes us re-examine the very: purpose of going to school.”