The pandemic has harmed the country's economic growth and has also disrupted the education system very badly. Various measures are being taken to stop the virus from spreading like lockdown and social distancing. All schools, colleges, institutions and universities were closed because the government wanted to break the chain. The most affected sector by the pandemic is the education sector. Education is a very time-consuming and laborious process. It takes a lot of time and effort to teach students. Teaching happens in a variety of forms, including offline and online. As a result of the online shift in teaching approach, students, parents, and teachers are experiencing difficulties. In this blog we will discuss in detail the impact of the pandemic on the education system.

Impact of pandemic on overall education system

It was the end of March last year when the Government of India imposed nationwide lockdown in effort to stop the spread of the virus in the country. Afterwards, it was extended for three months, so from one and a half years we are still waiting for things to get back to normal. During lockdown not only schools and colleges were shut down but also all the national level entrance/competitive exams like JEE, NEET, UPSC, SSC, etc. were either cancelled or postponed. Since then all the students, teachers and parents are craving for the studies to start. This sudden stoppage in the learning process will not only affect the students in the short run but also affect the growth of the country in the long run.

Impact of pandemic on students

Currently all the schools and colleges are closed so students are attending their classes through various online platforms which is a very good thing but most of the students don't have the resources to learn online that's why they are suffering. The gadgets required for online classes are difficult to obtain for many students in India. Privileged and educated parents are constantly supporting their kids during the pandemic with electronic gadgets, however under privileged and illiterate parents are not able to fulfill their kid’s need for education. The kids who are studying online are facing challenges related to loss of motivation, concentration and self discipline. Many students are struggling to complete their homework and assignments due to lack of a proper environment at home. Due to the unpredictable nature of the virus there are delays and cancellation of the exams which creates confusion amongst the students and parents. To tackle this situation we need an effective and failproof education system which will fill the gap which was created due to the pandemic.

Impact of pandemic on Schools

The closure of schools has drastically affected the teaching and learning process. The school is not only a place where children learn how to read and write, but also a place where they can have fun and learn how to communicate and socialize with each other. The assessments of the kids have been affected. There are very few private institutions that are capable of teaching via the web, but many low-income private and public schools do not have access to e-learning infrastructure, so they are not able to provide adequate online education to students. Digital education is a new experience for teachers who have always taught using blackboards and chalk, but they are quickly adapting and managing to connect with students in the current situation.

Conclusion

As a result of the closure of schools, colleges, and institutions, a wide gap has emerged in the learning and teaching process of students and teachers. The conventional way of teaching has been shifted towards online teaching experience. While online teaching offers students the chance to study, there are also a number of challenges associated with the new teaching methodology. Today we need a well-defined and efficient system of education which will fill the void created by the pandemic. The assessment system should also be optimized so that it can genuinely test the skills of students in an efficient manner. Considering these factors, it will not only improve the learning ability of students, but also bring fruitful results that will enhance the growth of the country as well.