Over one million teachers across 21,000 schools in India will be trained to combine online learning with a classroom-based approach using Google applications, said Sapna Chadha, Senior Country Marketing Director, Google India and Southeast Asia.
Addressing a webinar attended by Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Union Human Resource Development Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal, Chadha said that popular Google apps, like YouTube, will be used for this purpose.
“By the end of this year, in 2020, we will enable one million teachers in 22,000 schools across India to deliver blended learning that combines classroom approach with online learning using free tools like G suite for education, Google Classroom, YouTube and more.”Sapna Chadha, Senior Country Marketing Director, Google India and Southeast Asia.
Chadha also announced a new grant of $1 million, through which Google.Org will enable over seven lakh teachers to deliver virtual education for students to continue learning at home.
The grant, offered under Google’s Global Distance Learning Programme, will be implemented through Kaivalya Education Foundation.
Mindful of the digital divide, Chadha added that for those without access to the internet, TV radio and other channels will be used to reach children. “Online learning should only supplement education delivered in the classroom,” she added.
Over 390 million children in India have been impacted with school closures. To address this growing need, Chadha said that Google has launched Teach From Home, an information in English and eight Indian languages.
“Over four lakh educators have accessed info on the TFH hub till date. It was heartening to see how teachers from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Nehru World, GD Goenka and other schools started using Google Meet to connect with students who are feeling isolated from their peers ...in just a few weeks they shifted their school to 100 p online using Google Classroom,” she said.
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