Education post-Covid, a great challenge for students

PC THOMAS

Coronavirus pandemic has influenced a huge number of young students all over the world and India is no exemption to this. All educational institutions are now wrestling with the consequences and are desperately looking for solutions for the difficulties faced by the pandemic.

When the lockdown was declared, schools, which had already incorporated E-learning platforms, could grasp the change rapidly and adjust to the new circumstance. They are connected with the students and parents through the E-learning modules and guaranteed adaptive learning process. For schools, the major challenge was to ensure acceptance of the new normal by the parents and the students. In the whole process, there have been challenges and issues; yet the parents accepted the change. Numerous parents have opted to become co-learners to facilitate the e-learning acquaintance among their children.

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The present pandemic circumstance has upset the whole educational framework, requiring revamp of the whole educational curriculum. When one looks at the current situation, it would appear that this situation may stay for quite a long time. It is admirable, however, that different government bodies and educationalists across the country are moving in the direction of discovering available resources to assist students to keep on their learning cycle while they are safe and secure at home.

In this COVID-19 time, the clear focus of educational institutions will be on modernizing technology and capacity building to provide a profound learning experience online. While each person and organization enthusiastically looks forward to the situation to normalize, it is significant for the schools to continue the learning process smoothly. Digital learning is the way forward as a significant aspect of the education system and it is time to accelerate the usage of technical tools to ensure proper delivery of lessons. For this, at least every student must have access to high-speed internet, even those who are living in isolated areas. For students who are not sufficiently equipped with basic technological tools and skills, watching pre-recorded remote learning classes will be baffling as well as frustrating.

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However, the current situation has given an open-door for the digital transformation of the education framework and the future will witness not only virtual classrooms but also parent-teacher interactions on virtual platforms. As the community of educationists pushes forward adjusting to the new normal, there will be some difficulties that they have to face.

A more urgent need is to address the mental health issues emerging from this pandemic among students and prepare them to grasp the new situation and provide them care, sympathy, appreciation, and resilience that are necessary to face the future.

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Looking at the above points, schools and educationists today need to make an effort to reduce the negative impact of the current scenario on the young minds. It is time for them to renew the system while adjusting to the new normal.  They also have to explore other practical alternatives to continue with the delivery of education in order to remain relevant and prepare the students for the future.

This article published in Metro Vaartha on 29.9.20

 

Suicidal tendencies in Children should be tackled

PC  THOMAS

It is shocking to read the news that 66 children and teenagers under the age of 18 have committed suicide in Kerala since March 25, a day after the nationwide lockdown was announced to contain COVID-19.

What is causing the adolescent lives to be so hopeless that there is no ray of hope ahead in their life? Is it is because of the indefinite length of school opening or the inability to see their classmates and teachers, or is it mere loneliness or depressed state of mind? Or is based on the reason that parents rebuked children for not attending online class, or not allowed them online games or due to problems in families and substance abuse by parents?

Though the reasons for the suicides are varied,  it is believed that the lockdown has triggered emotional strain among children as they are not getting to close together with their peers at school which remain closed in the wake of the pandemic. In addition, there may be declining interest in friends, activities, or hobbies previously enjoyed,  domestic issues, lack of parental concern, poor communication between parents and child, parent’s improper way of dealing with the errors committed, that pave the way in spiking the number of suicides among children. 

According to the latest survey conducted by Child Right and You (CRY), the lockdown period resulted in an increase in the relationship between children and parents. At the same time or in contrast, many parents report that their child became more nervous, anxious and short-tempered during the lockdown!

Obviously, due to lockdown, since children cannot go to school, or out of play, they are in tedious emotions and getting bored to tears.   Also, for many families, lack of money and too much debt experienced as the biggest financial constraints due to job losses, salary cuts, etc during this time of Covid, which might have created a chance for more possible parent-children clashes.

However, raising serious concern over the matter, the chief minister of the state asked parents to ensure a happy and peaceful environment at homes. He asked them to take more care of the children who are now devoid of school or college friends.  In view of the situation, the Student Police Cadet project is going to launch a telephonic counseling programme called ‘Chiri’ (Laugh) to provide relief to students facing mental pressure. The project is intended to strengthen students’ commitment towards their families and community along with enabling them to resist negative tendencies like substance abuse, deviant behavior, intolerance and other social evils.

Looking to the current complicated situation of children and families there are some schools that also have come up with on-line counseling sessions that help children cope up with the stress. Obviously, school and teachers can play a vital role as online schooling is on the way of new education.

It is praiseworthy now that the government of Kerala takes the decision to investigate the cause of the child's suicide and provide tele-counseling for the needy to help tackle suicidal tendencies in children. Besides, it would also be a good idea for teachers to set aside some time between online classes to teach a lesson on improving mental health to children and parents as well. Let the children realise that life is not about ending yourself, it is about moving forward.
This Article published in Metro Vaarthha on 14.7.2020

Reducing Syllabus: A Great Relief for Students

GREESHMA THOMAS

A woman had a pet dog and one day it fell sick. To save the dog, every day she attempted to give a tablespoon of medicine down its throat, yet the dog would always resist and pull away. One day when she took the bottle, it slipped out her hands and the medicine spilled all over the floor. To her surprise, the dog went over to the puddle and began lapping it up! In fact, here, the dog had not been resisting to take the medicine. It was resisting the strategy that its master had used– pushing it down its throat.

It is a similar situation when we consider the pedagogy used in our schools. If heavy subjects, other educational burdens along with parental compulsion and peer pressures are push into children’s throat in the name of educational therapy, many of the students will not be able to absorb them and they will resist and vomit it, especially now, as  they are  in the pandemic situation.

During this Covid-time,  when students, teachers and parents are all  in a crisis situation, the decision of the CBSE to reduce the syllabus for classes 9 to 12  by 30-percent this year, seems as a right strategy due to the trouble caused by the COVID-19. It will certainly elevate students’ to a happy frame of mind to study with earnestness.

The CBSE in their process of trimming down about 190 subjects for classes 9-12, cut various key chapters like secularism, democratic rights, religion, gender and caste and food security, which create now a major controversy by some people. However, there was a mixed response from various stakeholders as many school representatives welcomed the move to decrease the course load on children, while a section of academicians said it appeared to be ideologically driven.

Amidst arguments, however, let us realize that education came to bring life and light to people who have no vision or right vision of life. But so often, as we have seen in the above story, we use the wrong method to force our expectations down students’ throats instead of presenting it in such a way that they will willingly receive it.  Parents also often make wrong decisions in their eagerness to give the best opportunities for their children by giving unwanted compulsion in study down their throat. What children should realize is that they are the ones responsible for their own learning, homework as well.

With the CBSE’s decision by reducing the heavy burdens for students at this juncture of Corona crisis, it is necessary to teach the students the values of secularism, democratic rights, religion, culture as well as the evils of gender and caste discrimination. While reducing the syllabus, these lessons must find some place in the syllabus, maybe in a shorter version.  Our first priority today is to save our world from the coronavirus crisis and to look for ways to revitalize the economy, and our lives, after this major crisis. Let the students now go for enjoying the education with discerningly reduced syllabus and freedom! 

Preparing Children to face Pandemics

This Covid-time is an unprecedented situation for all and has ripple effects into almost every phase of our lives. In the midst, children are the most vulnerable because of their increased exposure to the background to disease. In their tender heart, they experience a state of worry, anxiety and fear of their relative’s death and miseries or a fear of what it means to receive medical treatment for all.

Anxiety and panic about the virus and what could happen can be irresistible and cause strong emotions in children. Public health protocols such as social distancing can make them feel isolated, secluded and can increase them more stress and anxiety. However, children should realize that these precautionary actions are essential to decrease the spread of COVID-19 and managing the stress in a positive way will make people healthy and his community stronger.

It is quite difficult to determine the horrible impact of the virus spread on children be it emotional, health, education, and many other ways. Due to the uncertainty of COVID situation, children tend to develop short-temper and anger. Considering the risk to the children, the healthcare workers across the world have been warned to be more cautious for the patients under the age group of less than 18. Though every year of a child's life is valuable, their primary stage or the first ten years are very crucial because the basics of emotional, social, physical and psychological development are laid down at this stage.  

Staying out of school for more than three months has made children restless and reduced their physical activities. The social distancing has made them lonely and irritable in this crisis because they are not getting to visit their granddads, extended family members, and go for family tours as they used to enjoy during their last summer vacation.

Many experts have concluded that expression of Covid-19 is diverse as children are in constant emotional tumult. However, the parents are the caretaker of love,  care and positive thoughts to their children but in the present crucial time, parents are too busy in their own official backlog and finding less time to be with their children.  However, the adherence of being indoors has made pressure on children to be more disciplined and occupied themselves with screen-TV, computer, laptop, and mobile - either for online education or entertainment and play.

It is said that the future of tomorrow is laid on the hands of children, but they can shape the future only if their own future is secured. Therefore, it is important to pay special consideration to the children in the present times of COVID so as to keep them safe and sound.  It is also important that they must be occupied in physical, music, Yoga and other recreational activities to become active and dynamic. Their anxieties and concerns related to the pandemic must also be addressed through proper communication. There is a need that all the important counselors like teachers, parents, social workers act jointly to cope with the challenge posed by COVID-19.