Given the unpredictability of the situation, and the fact that we cannot anticipate when schools will reopen, SHEF is moving all of its teaching and learning activities online. All our schools have begun a new academic session, and the students are receiving assignments, activity-based lessons, and other resources through WhatsApp, so that they can continue learning from home. Where possible, teachers are also using on-line platforms, such as Zoom, to conduct regular classes with their students. This is perhaps most challenging with our children from Prerna Girls and Boys Schools and Vidyasthali. While the children in these schools are also sent activities and assignments through WhatsApp and audio conference calls, there are still many children who do not have access to mobile phones and internet connection. Our teachers are constantly in search of new, creative ways to ensure that they are able to reach all children.
SHEF is also promoting its online library of virtual lessons prepared by Digital Study Hall (DSH), so that children everywhere can continue to learn. DSHOnline has more than 1000 high-quality classroom video lessons for classes 1 to 8 available free of cost on YouTube. In just the past month, since the start of the COVID19 crisis, our viewership has increased threefold!