Let me start this one with a fantastic quote.
“I trust that everything happens for a reason, even if we are not wise enough to see it.”- Oprah Winfrey
The quotation mentioned above proves true to every dimension when we put forth it in today’s chaotic and hectic lifestyle.
For instance, the thought and the vision of alternative education, online education, and the digital payment method were once the talk of the town, but now it has become the need of the hour.
COVID-19 is a new matter of concern that has brought the society to the verge of uncertainty, or in other words, it has opened loads of new venues to uplift our vision to go beyond the box.
Coronavirus has changed our day to day lives completely; it is something that we never expected.
In this article, I would like to talk about the impact of coronavirus on education and how it has changed almost everything.
I will try to explain my understanding with the help of a story. To understand the value of strengthening the base structure of our education system, reading the complete article will add more clarity.
The Weak Structured Building — The Fiction
In former times existed a building at the city center. The building was the answer to all the essential issues of the city. Scholars used to sit in it and resolve issues.
The building had utter importance but was neglected at first. It had a weak structure, which was eroding steadily. It was some years until people started paying it the due attention.
They decided that the building shall be renovated. The renovation started but half-heartedly. The material used was ordinary. Be it various reasons; despite the improvement, the building was not up to the mark. It was not prepared to face unusual times.
It was one day that the sudden flood filled the city. The building was demolished. It was a tough time. Now, the hard times required stringent measures. Let’s see how that goes.
The fictional example elaborates on the Condition of the Indian educational system. Our education system was not given importance in the first four decades of independence. However, in the past few years, some improvements have been made.
While efforts were attempted, the weak intentions did not result in a strong base. The hard time of Pandemic has shaken our education system to the core. It requires innovative and efficient methods now.
“Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.” — Will Durant
The Influence of Covid-19 on Education System
The Problem: Covid-19
Covid-19 is a virus originated from china. The virus started to spread in Dec 2019. It made a significant impact on the globe until Feb 2020. Various economies faced a severe crisis.
The spread of virus made lockdown inevitable. Schools and all educational institutions were closed for an unknown period.
Months of lockdown brought drastic results for the education system and its recipients. Institutions need to transform their methods of teaching. Education requires adequate strategy and efficient planning.
Education Before Covid-19
India came across major educational reforms during the last few decades. The realization of education’s importance brought crucial improvements. Some of the major ones are labeled below.
Developing Educational Institutions:
During the last decade, Education has remained the top priority of Governments. Educational Institutions revamped as per modern needs. The policies brought were efficient in improving the Condition of institutions.
The following were the improvements in the last few years.
Laboratories for conducting Experiments were built. These laboratories were equipped with the best equipment. It helped to make the learning process enjoyable.
The infrastructure of Educational Buildings were improved. Ventilation, lighting, water, electricity, and Internet services were provided to schools all over the country.
Literacy rate increased globally. India alone increased its literacy rate to 74.37%. In 2011 India’s Literacy rate was 69.3%.
The dropout ratio also decreased in the last few years. With more funding, schools improved their condition. As a result, parents were motivated to send their students to school. Kerala, the state in India has a dropout rate of zero.
Introduction Of Technology -A Step Towards Future Learning
The last three decades resulted in improvements in our education system. However, the introduction of technology was a step just taken in the previous decade. The building of digital classrooms was aimed to make the learning sessions interactive.
Technology also allowed students to gain practical knowledge of the subjects they study. It eased the jobs of teachers and enhanced the learning experience of the students.
Introduction of technology was a step to modernize the education system. The attempt did make a difference.
Parents started to look out for multimedia classrooms and provided it with significant heed. According to a survey, 76% of parents were ready to pay increased fees to avail of a multimedia room.
Increased Awareness Of Education
The most significant possible improvement in the past times was an increase in awareness. People started to provide the deserved heed to literacy. They began making efforts to gain an education.
According to analytics, India had a 33% net increase in literacy rate between 2000 and 2019. The consideration led to improvement in the quality of education.
Everything appeared okay. Education was prospering, but Covid-19 strike half-way. Things started to fall through. Tough times came for the building. The influence of the virus was critical. The education system started suffering.
“The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn …and change.”- Carl Rogers
Now let me take you through the effects of coronavirus on the education system:
The Effects Of Covid-19 On Education System
Closure of Educational Institution
The Pandemic has caused widespread closure of Educational Institutions. Schools are unable to run their operations amenably.
According to , 1.5 Billion Learners are affected by Covid-19. As a response, Schools have started online learning.
Online education has not been effective. Traditional Exams have been replaced with online assessments. The attempt to solve the problem of no physical classes has its drawbacks.
Lack Of Internet Facility
The Internet has remained a significant issue for most students. Students from high poverty communities are unable to access online classes.
Lack of internet facility has affected academic performance. In India, internet users are very less in comparison to many other countries.
The Government should plan policies to provide Internet to every student. Ensure that the Internet doesn’t affect any student’s performance. If no solution is found, dire results await us in the future.
Widened Class Disparity- COVID 19
The closure of schools nationwide resulted in classes being held online. The education system chose to be over the web. These online classes are expensive for the middle class.
The cost of a tablet, along with internet packages, make up a significant amount. It costs around 1000 INR worth internet package for a month of online classes.
The increased cost means that only people with sufficient resources can avail online courses.
The persistent lockdown has led to downsizing and closure of multiple businesses. indicated a 45% decline in the economy from April to June.
The reduction resulted in people facing economic crisis. An increased cost for parents is nothing less than a nail in the coffin of self-respect for them.
Ineffective Online Learning System And Lack Of Resources
The online learning system is not as effective as it should be. There is little interaction among students and teachers. Students fail to clarify their questions because of no face to face interaction.
Another problem is about gaining practical knowledge. Online System does not improve functional skills. Consequently, problem-solving skills are not developed in Students.
Theory-based Education is emphasized in a live session. The information mainly aims at course completion, rather than actual knowledge. This makes online learning system ineffective.
Ineffective Methods For Young Ones
The education system is going through a severe crisis while the older students have somehow managed.
The weaklings have faced severe difficulty in settling with the online classes. The kids required a physical classroom and interaction, rather than syllabus coverage. Schools act as a second home for students.
The primary purpose is to teach them through healthy interaction. Online classes do not fulfill the goal. Weak internet connections and voice distortions are a severe obstacle in their learning.
Widespread Unemployment In The Education Sector
The closure of schools resulted in widespread unemployment for teachers and the staff.
The net unemployment is at its peak in 2020. This economic crisis had the school staff suffering too.
The number of schools had to close down. Numerous teachers and staff lost their jobs. COVID 19 caused severe troubles for the education sector and its stakeholders.
The Conclusion:
No one can defeat you until you accept your defeat. Hard times are testing times for the countries. Nations with proper planning shall get through these times while the others might face serious difficulties.
The times have imposed the need to make extreme changes. The development of online classes is one such measure. Although the levels are not as good as they should be, they would undoubtedly improve timely.
Everyone related to the sector has changed to digital learning. As these are the early steps, the mumbling is unavoidable. We should give teachers time to adjust to the new medium. Stay patient and believe in them.
Subsequently, we should look for an optimistic approach. Nothing is permanent, and there must be some end. The virus shall fade away as time passes.
A cure would probably be developed. Some of them are even in the market.
According to the latest reports,
Covaxin by has been allowed for testing. The vaccine has the potential to be a satisfactory cure.
We should not lose hope. Keep ourselves united and available to each other. “The best thing about time is it changes.” Keep our heads high, and hope for the best!
“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism.” David M. Burns
I have tried my best to differentiate our Education before and after corona. I hope this article would add some value.
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”- Albert Einstein
Originally published at https://www.rajtheblogger.com on July 1, 2020.