Explained: What is West Bengal’s ‘Paray Shikshalaya’, an open-air classroom initiative?

What is the news?

The West Bengal government has launched ‘Paray Shikshalaya’ Initiative.

What is the ‘Paray Shikshalaya’ Initiative?

It is an open-air classroom initiative for students from class 1 to 7. 

Aim: To encourage students who dropped out of schools during the Covid-19 pandemic to continue their education.

Under the initiative, schools which have open-air spaces held the classes there. But the schools which do not have open-air spaces conducted the classes in neighborhood parks and grounds.

Students are being called in batches and arrangements for mid-day meals have also been made for the students taking these classes.

Why was this ‘Paray Shikshalaya’ Initiative launched?

The West Bengal Government opened schools for classes 8 to 12. However, students studying in lower classes continued to take the online classes. 

But a section of doctors and parents were in favor of reopening schools for Class 1 to 7. In view of the rising demand for physical classes, the state government reopened schools and also launched this initiative.

Source: This post is based on the article “Explained: What is West Bengal’s ‘Paray Shikshalaya’, an open-air classroom initiative?” published in Indian Express on 9^th Feb 2022.