Impact of the Pandemic on School Education in India

In this article, we will examine the impact of the pandemic on school education in India

Impact of the Pandemic on School Education in India

The Indian government has imposed one of the longest school closures globally as it suffered through multiple waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. These school closures have revealed the inequities between urban and rural populations, as well as between girls and boys, in adapting to online learning tools. This paper looks at the impact of the prolonged school closure on education as well as on nutrition, with the pandemic possibly increasing malnutrition levels. With schools slowly reopening, the long-term consequences of the pandemic on education and nutrition remains to be seen.

National University of Singapore

India has suffered one of the major impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic due to multiple waves of the pandemic looming large on the Bharat population.

However, in an unprecedented turn, the government of India has done tremendous work to offset the impact of the pandemic, and the efforts of the Indian government were appreciated worldwide.

According to a report by UNICEF-ITU¹, India has imposed one of the longest school closures globally, affecting 1.6 billion children as no option was left for India to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

In most parts of the world school education was affected and India was no exception to this loss. India had to close down the school for the longest days in order to face the challenges of the pandemic. This has resulted in a massive loss of learning opportunities and outcomes for students across all levels of education everywhere in the world.

It was the toughest time for the students of India as the online education suggested worldwide was not as effective as promoted by various multinational companies.

Bharata is a Country of villages and a diversified culture. The ancient education of Bharat had focused on hearing and learning but with the advent of the Macaulay system of Education in India all Western philosophy-based education was widespread and during the pandemic, we have seen the worst part of this system of education when more than half of the population stayed without online education as claimed in some of the report published in various research journals.

This means that millions of students have been deprived of any form of education during the pandemic, widening the existing learning gaps and disparities. 

A study by Azim Premji University found that 92% of children have lost at least one specific language ability from the previous year across all classes. Similarly, 82% of children have lost at least one specific mathematical ability from the previous year across all classes.

The pandemic has also affected the nutrition and health of school-going children, especially those from underprivileged households. The closure of schools has disrupted the provision of mid-day meals, which are a crucial source of nutrition for many children. 

A study by NITI Aayog found that 11.3% of children aged 6-17 years were not receiving mid-day meals during the lockdown. The study also found that 40% of children reported a decrease in food intake during the lockdown.

Another adverse impact of the pandemic on school education is the increased risk of dropouts, especially among girls and marginalized groups. The prolonged absence from school, coupled with the economic and social pressures caused by the pandemic, may push many children out of the education system permanently. A report by Save The Children estimated that 10 million children may never return to school as India is passing 2023. The report also warned that girls are more likely to drop out than boys, due to factors such as early marriage, domestic chores, childcare responsibilities, and safety concerns.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, Bharat has endured the most challenging phase of the pandemic and has managed to recover and return to its former greatness. According to the latest findings, the educational system is slowly recovering, and it’s only a matter of time before Indian schools regain their prominence, with students excelling in various competitions and subjects.