Learning Poverty and Closed Schools – impending educational Crises
Covid 19 has affected many sectors badly. School
education is one of the worst affected areas during this pandemic. The dropout
rate would be at its peak. Vaishnavi, (name changed) a five grader kid from
Pune s Government school, had to leave and shift to the native village. Her
father could not bear the expenses of two children. He lost his job. Shivraj,(name
changed) one more student from Pune could not attend a single online class. His
father does not afford the android phone. Nadeem, a 6th grader, has
lost foundational literacy and numeracy. There are many more such examples that
warn us about impending educational crises. Our education status was not good
before covid, and now it is at stake due to pandemic hit.
India's education system is always characterised by
persistent access issues, learning gaps, infrastructure, and rotten syllabus.
Pandemic made it even worst ever. One of the studies shows concern that 64%
of kids in rural India fear they have to drop out if not given additional
support. (https://theprint.in/india/64-kids-in-rural-india-fear-they-have-to-drop-out-if-not-given-additional-support-survey/625146/) .
Right now, India is in the most challenging condition in
the education sector. It is an alarming call of the threat of upcoming
education crises. Today’s uncertainty and unclarity will have long term
consequences.
Schools Education is facing four
major issues.
1. Access to
Virtual Education
As many as 43% of parents in rural areas said no
online material was sent by the school, while 36% said their children did not
have their smartphones. ASER study marked that 67.6% of students’ families have
one android phone. Students are not regular in the online class. It’s tough for
a teacher to ensure 100% engagement in class. Pandemic has created a clear
digital divide. This divide can be eliminated once school starts. (http://img.asercentre.org/galleries/aser2021_final.pdf)
2. Huge
Learning Gap
One of the studies of Azim Premji University revealed
shocking data about learning loss. During Covid, "90% of students have
lost at least one language ability, and 80% of students have lost at least one
mathematical ability". SCERT has
come up with Bridge Course but has no remarkable result.
If schools continue to be closed, it will be colossal
Learning Poverty in India. Recently, the World Bank’s Education Director said
that “Learning Poverty in India is expected to be increased from 55% to 70”. In
the Indian context, if schools are continued to be closed, it would be
incalculable learning loss.
3. Negative
impact on Mental Health of Students
Students during a pandemic are undergoing unusual
social and emotional conditions. In cities, students are locked down against
their instinct. An increase in screen time, lack of physical activity, lack of
socialisation and addiction to social media have a terrible impact on their
physical and mental health.
4. Engaging
teachers in non-Teaching job
In one of the Government schools in Pune, there is one
permanent teacher for 120 kids how a teacher would handle 120 students in
virtual space. How would he balance his other non-teaching work with teaching
in a pandemic hit? Teachers are being engaged in Covid duties. Already school
education is undergoing worst state ever and important stakeholder, a teacher,
entangled in covid assignments. Can’t government hire other people for covid
duties?
Recommendations to cope-up with the
existing and upcoming education crises
Reopen
Schools of schools with 50% capacity or adopt a hybrid model
Fear
of Covid-19 spread cannot justify keeping schools closed for a long time. For
almost two years, schools have been shut down, through online space, it’s
impossible to fill this gap. It’s advisable to adopt a hybrid model. Schools
can be reopened with 50% of their capacity. Those parents are unwilling to send
their children to school; schools can broadcast physical classrooms through
online apps for such students. Schools can reopen in villages with their 100%
capacity if such villages are not in the red or yellow zone. World banks Education director Mr Sarveda has
clearly said that “there is no relation between opening schools and the spread of coronavirus. There is no
evidence….”
Integrated
SEL (social-emotional learning) to keep students happy
Students
become lonelier and thrown out of the process of socialisation for two years.
School is the primary factor in the process of socialisation. In covid students
are facing mental problems. By integrating SEL in day-to-day teaching or 1 hour
weekly for SEL space. Delhi Government’s happiness curriculum is the best
example.
Level
wise Buckets of Students
This year, the Maharashtra government has launched a
Bridge Course of 45 days for encountering learning gaps. It’s tough to fill the
gaps of two years in 45 days. During covid, schools are closed for two years,
and most students have lost their fundamental literacy and numeracy (FLN).
Expecting students to perform in their respective grades is meaningless and
does not produce a positive result. It is advisable to bucket the students as
per their level.
Schools with the help of local administration can
start community schools. These schools can be in any community hall, temple or
any open space where 5-10 students can quickly gather by keeping social
distance. Volunteers from villages can be responsible for teaching Foundational
Literacy and Numeracy. In their learning camp project, Pratham (NGO) had done
an excellent job through volunteers and local staff.
In our school, we are focusing on differentiated
learning. We have three buckets of students in the same grade, namely
High-Middle-low rigour kids. We are experiencing improvement in engagement FLN
levels. We are doing this by using community hall. Where kids are regularly
coming. With the help of teachers and volunteers, we are focusing on differentiated
learning.
Collaboration
with Private players or NGOs to restore and improve literacy
Literacy and Numeracy have been ruined during the last
two years. The Bridge course did not reach every pocket of students. The PPP
model can be fruitful to restore and improving literacy levels. The Education Department can collaborate with
established NGOs to develop a road map to counter learning gaps.
Teach for India (NGO) has developed a bridge
curriculum and implemented it in a different school with the help of their fellows
and volunteers. Leadership for Equity
(NGO) already work with SECRET in a few districts of Maharashtra to address the
issues of learning gaps. Similarly, the government can do this at a mass level.
Teachers
should involve in school work only.
I spoke with a few teachers of PMC schools. They
shared that they were busy with Covid duties like survey, contact tracing,
vaccination drive, etc. How can teachers perform their role of teaching for
which they are meant? The administration
can hire non-teaching folk to carry out covid duties.
No one knows
when this pandemic will end, but schools should not be shut down. Schools have
to reopen, and that too permanently to reopen to save India from impending
educational crisis.
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