WeGuide – Akhankara Phase II – 20/21

The severity of Covid 19 snatched away the treadwheel of the country’s key proceeding factors including the education system. Due to the island-wide lockdown last year, posed a detrimental impact as the schools had to be shut barring the students’ right to be educated. However, the education system changed dramatically with the rise of online learning where it was undertaken on digital platforms. With the predicament on board, our Community Service directors along with the Executive Committee brought up this wonderful project initiative Akhankara phase 2; WeGuide with the hope of assisting the students who were to sit for the G.C.E. O/L examination.

On the 11^th of November 2020, the chosen POC was gathered and the project work was begun immediately since it was related to the O/L examination. We had our first concurrence via Google Meet and there we were addressed by one of the VPs, Sachindra ayya, the avenue directors, Akalanka ayya, Ayeshma akka and Nilakshi akka about the framework of the project. To give a very brief summary about the project, the initiative was put forward to conduct 5 series of examinations for the subjects Mathematics, Science, and English in both Sinhala and English mediums. With everyone having a significant role to play, we determined to cut the mustard come rain or shine.

The main roles here, the project coordinators, Azam, Senuri and Sadini akka were the ones who managed everything from top to bottom of the hierarchy looking over every nook and cranny possible. As the editors, I and Navodya set out to carry out the flair we call content creating to promote our initiative on social media although many more jobs were to come in as the project went on. The IT coordinators, Malith and Nayana ensured the flawless bridge between our target community and us with their intriguing designs and prodigious technical knowledge. The PR coordinator, Bimsara supervised both editors and IT coordinators with his super cool strategies to promote and make aware about the project in public. Next up, our subject coordinators, who implemented the most crucial part of this relay by preparing examination papers and relevant marking schemes as well. Yasiru ayya and Dahami, the Mathematics subject coordinators, Ashein and Avishka ayya, the Science subject coordinators and Cabilan as the English subject coordinator; all being the aces at their subject of interest throughout the initiative fulfilling their role. Meanwhile, the logistic coordinators, Asala, Kaushini, Sayagi, Devindi, Shashini, and Janitha followed suit with the subject coordinators handling examination papers and marking schemes and coordinating them between us editors and subject coordinators. As editors, we also heeded, proofreading them, correcting the errors, and occasionally planting suggestions as well.

It says time flies unknowingly when you are having fun. I guess time flies without knowing when you actually put your whole mind into something you enjoy the most. Everyone was there actively participating without cornered into their particular jobs and commenting and making suggestions here and there innocuously. Also not to mention the threads of texts of cracking jokes here and there, inquiries about the work done, and motivational pep talks by our very own directors and VPs. Posts were designed, Google forms were created to get students aware and registered to execute the project. The commencement of the project was to follow a structure of providing the students a paper and monitoring them while they were attempting on it via Zoom within the allocated time period. Then the marking schemes and marked answer sheets were provided due time.

The ultimate goal here was to grant those students an opportunity to experience the examination conditions. The fundamental activities all completed, next up online was to have dry runs furnishing the knowledge and understanding to operate the whole process via Zoom. With 300+ registrants on board, there were around 150 answer sheets to be corrected and commented on weekly. In the true sense of the word, it was nothing but a mammoth task for us POC members alone had to handle. Yet with the astonishing support from our very own brotherhood consisting of roughly about 100+ members and the effective cooperation plus teamwork paved the way to execute this immense course. To make the compiled tasks easy, two WhatsApp groups were created, ‘WeGuide Invigilators’ and ‘WeGuide Paper Marking’ where our own members collaborated with us to ensure a burgeoning success.

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With all hands on deck, the tasks were done smoothly yet the workload was sky high for all of us. And also the hefty volume of second-semester lectures burdened us as well. But the encouraging words from our fellow members, VPs, and directors made us feel motivated and kept our heads focused on the game. To expedite and ease the editor job, we were joined by Tharini and Chalani, who were obliging and willing to render service at a short notice; at the drop of a hat. Not only had those two, Ruwimal and Dewmini also cooperated with the subject coordinators in preparing papers which were huge succor at the time. The project was conducted for around two months securing what we expected; a successful outcome thanks to the support and active involvement of all the club members. What makes us even more cherished are the heartwarming comments from the students who participated.

“This project enriched our knowledge to face O/L and future exams and this online method was really interesting for us.”

“You gave us that attention which usually a student doesn’t get from an online session in the school and kept responding that instant when we asked for a help.”

On the 9^th of May 2021, we marked the end of all phases of Akhankara 2020/21 with the final POC meeting; the members who put their level best amidst various setbacks and mishaps rising like phoenixes even at a time like this. With a pool of memories and stories collected, we as Rotaractors hope to open doors for many more projects in the years to come.

By Rtr. Ishara Nimeshi