To plug learning gaps, AAP govt launches country’s first virtual school in Delhi

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi government on Wednesday set up the country’s first ever virtual school called the Delhi Model Virtual School for those students who find it difficult to attend an actual school on a daily basis in the post-pandemic world, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on television.

The move will be a first-of-its-kind step for the AAP government which is known for its initiatives in the education sector as well as for the Delhi model of education which has provided learning opportunities to hundreds of students in government schools in the national capital.

“Today, we are starting India’s first virtual school — the Delhi Model Virtual School, affiliated to the Delhi Board of School Education. We’re inviting admission applications for Class 9 from today. Students from all over the country can apply for admission,” Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said during a live television broadcast.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in India and abroad in early 2020 and the country entered a three-month long lockdown, a large number of children have been forced to stay away from school, especially in India’s rural districts. With the pandemic continuing for most of 2021 and a good portion of 2022, it was only earlier this year that schools could open up in most of the metropolitan cities. Students started attending school after a huge gap of two and a half years leading to massive learning gaps. It was also noticed that in poor families with more than two children, kids could not go back to school when the institutions reopened since they had to work to support their families. In certain cases, the breadwinners of families had succumbed to the deadly Covid-19 infection leaving children to fend for themselves. So, learning gaps accompanied by a huge number of school dropouts, was the inevitable fallout of the virus-induced lockdowns.

In the virtual school accessible for all, Kejriwal said students can attend live classes and access recorded class sessions and study material. “Students can attend live classes and access recorded class sessions and study material in the Delhi Model Virtual School. We will also help the students to prepare for competitive exams like JEE and NEET,” the Delhi CM added.

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