Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India]. April 25 (ANI): Amid lockdown in the wake of COVID-19, Himachal Pradesh government has launched 'Har Ghar Pathshala' programme to provide home-based teaching facility to students so that their studies do not suffer.Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday held a meeting of the education department.Thakur said that under this initiative, multiple programmes were being used to ensure maximum reach of the students. He said that a three hours slot per day on Doordarshan Shimla was focusing on classes 10 and 12, read a statement.Besides, online classes were also being conducted by teachers via WhatsApp and centralised website.The Chief Minister said that efforts were on to start teaching module through All India Radio to ensure maximum coverage as well, it added.He stated that focus should be laid on providing best contents to the students on important subjects besides ensuring coverage of all classes from Class 1 to Class 12.He said that effective and acceptable mechanism must be evolved for providing marks to the students of Plus two in vocational subjects where paper could not be conducted due to lockdown.Thakur further stated that the department of education should also prepare an effective exit plan so that the functioning of educational institutions could be normalised as soon as possible.The school education board must take all necessary steps for evaluation of answer sheets well in time, stressed the Chief Minister.He said that the department should also start working on new schemes announced by him while presenting the budget for the year 2020-21.Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj said that 98 per cent elementary schools and 90 per cent high schools have been connected with higher authorities through WhatsApp, whereas 66 per cent students of elementary schools and 72 per cent students of higher schools have been connected through WhatsApp with their teachers.Secretary Education Akshay Sood detailed various initiatives taken by the department to ensure maximum reach of 'Har Ghar Pathshala' programme to facilitate students. (ANI)

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