Online Kalvi Radio helps inculcate love of reading in govt school students, ETEducation
Chennai: When the pandemic closed down schools six years ago, students relied on video sharing platforms for lectures. This consumed huge volumes of mobile data, forcing them to spend on top-ups every day. That’s when A Karthick Raja, a govt schoolteacher from Cuddalore, launched a free-to-use ‘online radio’ to upload audio files of daily lessons that did not exhaust the data limit.
Today, the website—Online Kalvi Radio—has transitioned into an audio hub, housing eight lakh audio recordings compiled by students, teachers and parents on a variety of subjects. “When schools reopened after the pandemic, my website became a space for audio, and students became the biggest contributors. I now have district-wise coordinators who engage through WhatsApp groups,” says Raja.
Audio clips on the portal feature textbook lessons, books that students read from libraries, or posts on upcoming events. For instance, students have now been invited to submit audio files on Thirukkural verses (for Thiruvalluvar Day on Jan 14) and Republic Day.
As many as eight lakh audio files have been uploaded on the platform by over 10,000 students and the general public so far. More than 1,300 teachers, parents and volunteers from Illam Thedi Kalvi (ITK) work as guides to assist students in recording the audio files. Kuzhanthai Theresa, a guide and a govt schoolteacher from Chengalpet, says the initiative helps students struggling to read. “Students’ interest piques when they record what they read, and when they get to hear it on a website open to the public. I started with six students; now 17 more have shown interest,” she added.
School education director S Kannappan said such initiatives help teachers as well. “Teachers can mention such initiatives in their portfolios, which is then considered if they are applying for felicitations such as the Dr Radhakrishnan award. Community radio is a good medium for information, and it is commendable that teachers are using it the right way,” he added.
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