BMC to start internet-based virtual classrooms in schools

Mumbai: In a bid to provide a quality learning experience to students, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has decided to introduce internet-based virtual classrooms in the civic-run schools, a BMC official has said. The BMC has also decided to extend the virtual classroom facility in 202 more of its schools, he said. At present, nearly 480 civic-run schools in Mumbai have the virtual classrooms, he said.

The virtual classroom system involves audio-visual presentations on projectors put up for the students for an interactive learning process. It enables the students sitting in a classroom to interact with a teacher in a studio and get their queries resolved in a fun-filled manner. "We have got the internet facility with superb speed and we want to utilise this by introducing it in our virtual classrooms," the official said.

"Therefore, we have decided to connect our virtual classrooms with the internet which will give updated and high-tech information to our students," he said. The BMC had introduced the virtual classroom system in in 24 of its schools in 2011. Later, it went on the introduce the facility in total 480 schools after getting a positive response from the students.

"After adding virtual classrooms in 202 more schools, the total number of civic schools to have the facility would go up to 682," the official said. The BMC administration has provided a budget of Rs 21.84 crore in this fiscal year for setting up the virtual classroom facilities in the schools, he said. "Apart from attracting the students, the system was launched to overcome the shortage of good teachers in the civic schools," he added.