The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world in ways unimaginable. As we look back on the past two years and the harsh repercussions of the pandemic that continue until today, it is apparent that one of the most impacted sectors was education. Neither the world nor educational institutions were prepared to embrace the shift to online platforms brought on at lightning speed.
Lockdown totally ruined the education system in the year 2020-21, and the side effects can be seen now too. Day by day, due to an increase in cases the holidays were announced which drastically decreased the student’s as well as teachers’ interest in studying as well teaching. Even though schools, colleges, and universities have started, students are still not regular in classes. In 2020-21, the direct impact was on the country’s economy. Many students demanded to cancel the exams, and no proper online classes were held, but the institutions took proper fees.
Many universities conducted online exams, in which 99% of students openly copied and submitted scanned answer sheets. Many parents requested that private institutions give concessions in college as well as transportation fees. Few accepted the request and few denied it. Universities, on the other hand, said “ we need fees, because we have to pay our teaching and non-teaching staff”.UNESCO reported that around 118 schools were closed due to the pandemic. More than 1 billion students were affected by the education system. In countries like Australia, Sweden, and Greenland, schools were opened.
Online classes were good for the short term, but it’s not the solution for education. Internet connectivity was and still is choppy, and quite expensive for underprivileged students to gain access to. In addition, many children from less fortunate backgrounds do not have access to desktops or laptops allowing them to take part in courses. In addition, remote education has shown the need for much more support, and self-development courses, for children to grow academically.
Online tutoring was the challenge that was responded to with the rise of online tutoring platforms and digital learning Apps, to complement the journey of learning. Despite heightened disengagement levels due to the loss of social interactions (especially amongst younger children), students did learn new skills, such as time management and responsibility. With reduced learning time, estimated at an approximate 2 to 5 hours of screen time, depending on the student’s age, along with the loss of social connections, the development of the child, as a whole, has been impeded. The numerous changes when life returns to ‘normal’ post-crisis, with an abundance of summer activities, self-development courses, and more personalized learning modules to enrich all facets of the student’s learning journey.
NGOs Help :
- Subsidized tuition on a needs basis, to ensure that students and their families, facing financial hardship, have access to education, even if it is through remote learning methods.
- Rebuilding and repair efforts by the organization have been focused on enhancing the infrastructure and facilities of schools.
- A school development program, including projects such as teacher training to enhance learning paths and work closely with schools to optimize how information is delivered and retained, is currently in the works.
