VADODARA: Hetalkumar Kothari can’t see, but he has set up an example for others to look up to.
Most teachers are grappling with the challenges that come along with the online mode of teaching.
While majority of those working in the rural areas, where the internet hasn’t reached till now or smart phones are not owned by many, complain about visiting remote localities to conduct physical classes.
But Kothari, a blind 50-year-old government primary teacher, handles both — online and physical classes — with aplomb.
He even travels to students’ homes in faraway villages to spread the light of knowledge in these dark pandemic times.
Kothari lost his eyesight in an accident in a chemical unit in 1995.
He used to work as a chemist at a unit in Ankleshwar, but blindness forced him to let go of the job.
But Kothari did not let go of hope and tried his hand at new things like physiotherapy.
He even treated patients for some time before he got the job as a government primary teacher.
Kothari was posted in Khangela village school in Dahod in 1999 and has been working there since then.
The village is located on the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border.
He teaches standard three students there.
When schools shut down due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Kothari along with his other colleagues started online classes as well as ‘falia shikshan’ where teachers went to clusters of hamlets and taught students living there.
The biggest challenge for Kothari was to reach these hamlets as they are located on mounds or in remote areas.
“I got the help of a colleague who used to take me to the ‘falias’ and drop me back.
Smart phones have also made things very easy for us.
I extensively use new applications that run on voice commands to teach,” he said.
Kothari said that villagers have also been helpful.
“They arrange for small things we need.
They also ensure that students gather in time for my class,” he said.
According to Kothari, limited access to smartphones is one of the biggest problems faced by the tribal students.
“Very few from the tribal areas have smartphones.
Those who own a smartphone are the ones who travel for work.
So in these areas, it’s much better if you reach out to students at their homes and opt for a face-to-face method of teaching,” he added.