How the recent pandemic is giving a hit in the education sector of India?

As the government has started to reopen and slowly ease restrictions, it is yet to make the decision when schools in India will reopen.  The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines for its second phase of unlocking stated colleges and Schools will stay closed until 31 July. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has suggested that August will probably be a good time to reopen educational associations based on the Covid-19 scenario. But the main source of concern is, most parents are not willing to put their child at risk by asking them to attend schools and colleges.

Mobile phones are turning necessities in the COVID Scenario

Since schools are now taking their step to be diligent and providing online education, the management has made it sure that children should possess mobile phones for the said. The idea of digitalizing India is going on a large scale and more and more people are getting to connect with each other through their handheld devices.

Internet access is now a must for kids to follow courses, prompting more families to scrape together the money to buy a second-hand or cheap smartphone for the first time.  With a school population of some 240 million, it might prove a boon for sales of low-cost devices to new consumers, industry analysts say, noting indications of an increase in purchases of used handsets in places that are rural. 

The smartphone market of India has increased in the last few years mainly due to stated Navkendar Singh, research manager with International Data Corporation.  For most basic telephone users, the jump to digital remains prohibitively costly: “Basic phones cost less than 1,000 rupees so how will their users purchase a smartphone to get 3,000 or 4,000 rupees.  Even a screen replacement would cost them over 1,000 rupees,” Singh said.

In the Pune district in India, a teacher has asked to gather donations so that he can fund his online education and impart knowledge to his students.  India began to ease its strict coronavirus lockdown as the number of cases climbs exceeding one million last week, but limitations remain in regions of the nation. 

Meanwhile, teachers giving classes Zoom or are currently sending assignments through WhatsApp, but the lack of a smartphone is only one barrier to schooling.

So, what is the burden?

An issue in India, she said, is that are often several grade levels behind in terms of their education level.  The Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity for India to re-imagine its schooling system and concentrate on learning rather than simply schooling, she said.  Concerns are raised that it will result in an unnecessary burden on class students.  The lack of a notebook due to social reasons and material and access to an internet connection has been cited.

More parents are being asked and encouraged to attend surveys through which their emotions can be noted on the idea of schools reopening. With the Unlock 3.0 going to be in action, we are all anticipating for changes that will help us get back to normal.