BELOGIVAVI: About 100 SSLC Khanapur students were forced to travel to the Goa and Maharashtra borders in front of the exam due to lack of internet connectivity in their village, located in a thick forest along Western Ghats.
Because no telecommunications operators offer services in these 10 villages, children travel up to 12 km every day to reach hilly areas in neighboring countries.
They sit on a hill, smartphone, textbooks and notebooks at hand, record important points to prepare for the exam.
Datta Gayakwad’s nephew walked around 8 km with his father, brought a book in a bag and food on the other side, to a hill located in Sattari District in Goa.
Children from other villages – Maan, Sada, Huland, Parawad, Chugle and Chikale for example – go to Surla, on foot or bicycle.
“This is a difficult task for children who are under pressure because of uncertainty caused by a pandemic,” said Gayakwad.
Children: Must travel through forest routes from Kanakumbi and Jamboti too, around 60 SSLC students go to Sindhudurg in Maharashtra.
They start from home early in the morning, spend the day in the study and return home around 5pm.
“We have no choice but to travel every day because we don’t have a network.
My friends and I have to travel through the forest routes to reach the hill station with connectivity and we are afraid of our attacking animals,” said Nagesh Sutar, a SSLC student.
“Even though there is a BSNL Tower in Kanakumbi, where I live, because our power disturbances face great discomfort.” Khanapur Mla Anjali Nimbalkar said he had brought the fate of children to notice the Minister of Education and expect a fast solution.
Beleagavi Ddpi Dr.
H Pundal said before, the teachers reached into students in these villages but the practice was stopped due to locking in the second wave.
“We will now make some arrangements for all the students to gather in one place,” he said.