Students of Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur, have extended the free online tutorial to underprivileged students from Classes III to VIII, from September 1 for 40 days as the schools in Bengal could be reopened only after the Puja.
The extended tenure will continue till October 9.
Students in Bengal are not attending schools from March 2020 because of Covid.
The first phase of the online tutorial that was launched from May 26, ended on August 31.
Durga Puja vacation will start from October 11 (Monday).
“The tenure of the tutorial is being extended, considering that the schools in Bengal have not yet been reopened because of the pandemic. The college has received requests for the continuance of the service and our students are also keen…,” principal Swami Ekachittananda told The Telegraph.
A demand for the free tutorial became evident when Vidyamandira, during the launch of the tutorial, had to do away with the registration process in view of the overwhelming demand.
So far on an average more than 1,000 students have attended each class by accessing the classes live or going through recorded lectures, said an official of the college.
The detailed schedule of the classes and the YouTube links for the different classes that are uploaded on the Facebook page of the college is being continued with.
A college official said they wanted to help underprivileged students who had been the worst victims of Covid-induced financial hardships, as they could not afford to take private tuition to compensate for the absence of in-person classes.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said on August 23 that her government was keen to reopen schools after the Puja, considering the Covid situation.