Correspondence Education in India post covid

 

The Covid-19 pandemic caused massive loss of lives worldwide. It subjected us to unprecedented challenges to the public healthcare system, economy, supply chain system, and what not! The economic and social upheaval caused by the pandemic is devastating. Millions of people were at risk of economic breakdown. Thankfully, the world has recovered from the devastating effects of this pandemic. However, it has allowed us to question how we must prepare ourselves for any such pandemic in the future.

Covid’s impact is severe, widespread, and recognized worldwide. Beneath is an infographic that illustrates how Covid-19, impacted the education of students across the globe. 

From the closure of schools and higher education colleges to the destruction of businesses and the loss of millions of jobs, the social and economic impact of the pandemic is diverse. A year after the pandemic began, nearly half of the students worldwide were affected by school closures. Covid-19 threatens to widen inequality everywhere and undermine progress in reducing global poverty, clean energy, and more.

The best solution is to prevent this damage by using tests, treatments, and vaccines wherever necessary. This will only be a fraction of the massive economic losses that the pandemic causes each week.

Since the outbreak in late December 2019, Covid-19 has been wreaking havoc worldwide, and education, like any other important sector, has been hit hard. Students, schools, colleges, and universities have been hit hard. 

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), more than 800 million students worldwide are affected; 1 in 5 are unable to attend school, 1 in 4 are unable to attend higher education classes, and have been locked down in more than 102 countries.

What do Students of Undergraduate and Postgraduate have to say about Online Education?

	Better	Same	Not Satisfied
Undergraduate	39%	50%	11%
Postgraduate	52%	38%	10%

You can read this blog to understand the Evolution of Online Education Post COVID

How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Entire Education Ecosystem? 

1. Covid-19: The critical impact on the world, particularly on education 

Worldwide, more than 200,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in more than 160 countries, with more than 8,000 deaths and several states facing severe outbreaks. Therefore, this crisis requires the urgent attention and collective action of all governments, stakeholders, and communities.

Every day, millions of children are out of school due to emergencies and the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The Covid-19 outbreak has exacerbated the plight of students in countries impacted or affected by conflict and natural disasters. The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) recognizes the public health decision to close schools but that there must be a contingency plan to ensure the right to education in times of crisis. GCE believes that all students have the right to an education, regardless of where they live or their circumstances. Education is an inherent right of children, youth, and adults in an emergency and should be a priority from the outset of an emergency response.

2. Walking into the future - The evolutions needed

Indian writer/activist Arundhati Roy (2020) describes the current Covid-19 pandemic as a portal. This view argues that the COVID-19 crisis offers a unique opportunity to envision a more just society and education system. It also calls for meaningful action to bring about a desirable future.

“It is a path to a redesigned future and must be different from the world we know. The imbalanced and tragic effects of pandemics on health and livelihoods have been institutionalized based on race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, and the ability of individuals, their communities, and even society as a whole. This emphasizes morphological discrimination.”

3. Social problems due to Covid-19 that hinder the growth of the education sector

Frauds are evident in educational systems around the world. The most marginalized and discriminated people struggle to reach their students through school closures and online education. 

Providing education in this way presents the challenges faced by students living in remote areas with a lack of computers or lack of electricity, or Wi-Fi. These students may not even have the space to work undisturbed at home. In addition, essential school services are severely restricted or unavailable.

4. Disruption in Higher Education during Covid-1 and what it has in the future?

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused problems and disruptions in the higher education sector. Campuses have been closed, and face-to-face teaching and assessments have moved online. Learning from students' experiences during this period will help shape the future of hybrid learning in a way that is best for students.

5. Challenges faced by students in India in rural regions 

Most students in India do not have good internet connectivity and essential equipment for online distance learning. The student's shift to distance learning and online classes has revealed conflicting preferences. 

The whole idea of online education was to make education more interactive. However, only half of the students were accustomed to using video cameras to communicate. Free text responses provided insight into how some students reported missing important items. Homework space/environment and desks, highlighting how telecommuting can create social and digital disparities, especially for students from low-income families.

What the post-pandemic world has for us in the store?

Some critical subject area processes in schooling in the post-pandemic period, such as pathways to improving the quality of distance education,  student-teacher relationships, systematic interventions that redefine the role of teachers as “teachers,” and the role of digital technologies in influencing teaching and learning, processes, learning solutions to bridge the gap in Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment, and Private School Sustainability Strategies. 

All being said, it is clear that Covid-19 has transformed the mode of delivery of disseminating education to students. We all must discover how online mediums can be used to the best of their usage.