I Background and purpose
The purpose of the project is to bring quality instruction in academic, and other relevant, subjects, using modern technology, to students in rural areas where the educational infrastructure including school facilities, teachers etc., are not as good as their urban counterparts. Teachers teach from the Main Center at the Ashrama in Visakhapatnam and interact live with students assembled at remote centers located in rural areas. These classes are designed to supplement the instruction students receive at their regular schools, not to replace it. Along with academic instructions, there will be a imparting of moral, spiritual and value based man making ideas to uplift remote and rural area students to get confidence and compete with modern and competitive exams and the world as well.
This project was patterned on a similar project running under the auspices of Vivekananda University at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission at Belur Math, West Bengal. This is the first project of its kind in Andhra Pradesh and South India.
II HISTORY
The project was inaugurated under the auspices of Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj, Vice-President, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, on March 1, 2020 with 3 remote centers and a main center at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama in Visakhapatnam. 10 remote centers, including the original three, are in full operation since December 1, 2020. The centers span various locations from Guntur district to Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh.
III Doorasikshanam (virtual classrooms) project which is sponsored by Balavikas of Fairfax, Virginia, USA, is to bring high quality instruction through academic and character development classes to children located in rural/ semi-urban locations, which typically lack the facilities available in large city schools. This is expected to supplement their regular school instruction and offer enrichment courses in Science, Math, English, Sanskrit, Yoga, Intellectual, Moral, Subhashitas and character-building education classes including showing Personality Development Videos.
IV Number of operating centers and beneficiaries
Starting with 125 students at 3 centers and in March 2020, currently 351 students are being served at 10 remote centers spanning several districts in Northern and middle Andhra Pradesh. It is noteworthy that this remarkable expansion occurred during the on-going pandemic related shutdowns and other restrictions. This was possible due to the unwavering dedication and hard work of the teachers, monks of Ramakrishna Mission, parents, Ramakrishna Bhava Prachara Parishad members and many other selfless volunteers.
CENTERS: – 10 centers are in operation at present.
| Sl.No | Name of the Center | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8 | Total |
| I | Kotta Agraharam | 15 | 15 | 10 | 40 |
| Ii | Donkada | 15 | 10 | 10 | 35 |
| Iii | Parvati Puram | 5 | 14 | 10 | 29 |
| Iv | Palasa | 22 | 18 | 10 | 50 |
| V | Tekkali | 25 | 25 | 18 | 68 |
| Vi | Macharla | 10 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
| Vii | Karlapalem | 8 | 7 | 5 | 20 |
| Viii | Bhavanapadu | 13 | 15 | 7 | 35 |
| Ix | Bapatla | 5 | 5 | 4 | 14 |
| X | Vetlapalem | 15 | 15 | 10 | 40 |
| TOTAL | 133 | 129 | 89 | 351 |
We conducted a Summer camp for all students. For Doorashikshana students we made it available free. We had following activities for children
1. Yoga and Meditation
2. Intelligent games
3. Art and Craft
4. Personality Development
5. Memory and Concentration
6. Bhajans and Chantings
7. Value Education
8. Inspirational video show
Doora Shikshana students are very happy to study and learn in a modern technology at par with urban schools. They are very happy because teaching faculty from urban area are teaching them. Responsiveness from local people is very good. Though there are some problems of internet to access in remote rural places, we selected the places where there is internet facility is accessible.
V SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
A network of 10 remote Doorasikshana centers (Virtual Classrooms) and a main center at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Visakhapatnam are established and are functioning well serving several hundred, and growing number, of children.