Impact of Pandemic on Rural Education

 
Infectious diseases have impacted the world from time to time, but this disease of coronavirus created havoc across the globe. Since the day it was declared as a pandemic, various measures were taken by each country to safeguard their citizens. 

India being the second- largest in terms of population, was forced to undergo lockdown to protect its citizens from this deadly disease. With India under lockdown, many things were halted from the manufacturing industries to the educational institutions. This pandemic impacted every person and more importantly children who were confined in their homes.

With the closure of educational institutions, studies were significantly impacted. To cope up with this loss, most of the private educational institutions in urban areas shifted their studying pattern in a virtual learning model which involved video conferencing apps and other attractive quizzing and assessment technologies.

But what about those who had difficulties in attending schools even when the situations were better. Those who live in rural areas, the education facilities there are much less than that of most of the urban educational institutions. 

Various social workers have worked throughout their lives to make children in rural areas come out of their confined homes to study and make a brighter future for themselves as well as their families ahead. But all that hard work looks as if it is going in vain during this pandemic.

Due to the lack of electronic gadgets and modern technologies, many children in rural areas are not able to attend any of the online classes which might have been started by their schools. This has led many children to lose hope of their brighter future. 

A highly intelligent and hardworking girl committed suicide because she was not able to attend the online classes that were being conducted by her school only because her family was not able to afford a smartphone for her. So will we let such bright minds leave us?

In urban institutes fee is given in a quarterly manner and is very high. On the other hand, in rural institutions, the fees is given before the exams, and by this, they can maintain the facilities they provide to the children studying there. 

But due to the lack of employment and lockdown due to pandemic, these schools would not be able to maintain the requirements that would be necessary for the post-pandemic situation such as adequate sanitation measures and hygienic food.

All these hardships had led many students in the rural areas to dropout bringing down the situation of education in India. To overcome such problems we should learn from the countries which face regular hardships and still try to help their children get knowledge. In countries such as Syria, most of the time, schools are closed due to conflicts. In such a country radio broadcast and distribution of study material helps the children to continue their studies even in difficult times.

The whole world is facing a difficult time, trying to protect their people from this disease, but it should not be done at the cost of damaging the future of these bright young minds that have capabilities yet to be explored and furnished.