Background
With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to prolonged school closures,
children were deprived not only of learning, but also of mid-day meals, social
protection and psycho-social support. Girls, children from the most
disadvantaged households and children with disabilities faced the biggest
challenge. Some state governments took initiative to open the schools but had
to close them again due to surge in infections in the subsequent COVID waves. It
remains unclear whether, and to what extent, schools were able to follow
guidelines for safe school reopening.
National and state governments implemented various initiatives
aimed at continuity of education, including the use of media, e-platforms and
web platforms. However, unequal access to the internet increased the disparity
among learners as ~51% of India’s population is not connected to the internet (Devara
2020). Online studies were irregular with parents wanting schools to reopen
(The School Team, 2021) as more than learning loss, school closures meant loss
of nutrition, mental and psychological well-being and safety (India Task Force
2021). With schools now reopening and Learning Recovery being emphasized by the
government of India (including initial budgetary provision made), the country
has a mammoth task ahead to cover lost ground.
A Glimpse Into the Impact of
Covid-19 on Children’s Education, Health and Wellbeing
The impact of school and anganwadi closures and budget cuts was
particularly severe for the most marginalised groups. It aggravated the
existing disadvantages of gender, caste and class further by restricting their
mobility, access to resources and agency.
Impact on Education
‘Mission Recovering Education’ report shows that the learning
poverty in low and middle income countries estimated at 53% before the pandemic
is likely to rise to 70% due to school closures and the ineffectiveness of
remote learning (UNICEF, UNESCO & World Bank, 2021). It
also suggests that the crisis has exacerbated inequities in education as,
●
children from low-income households, children with disabilities
and girls were less likely to access to remote learning than their peers due to
lack of accessible technologies, availability of electricity, connectivity,
devices as well as discrimination
●
younger children, especially pre-school children, had less access
to remote learning and were more affected be learning loss
●
girls experienced larger loss due to loss of protection that
schools and learning offers to their well-being and life chances (ibid).
Studies conducted in India show that rapid
assessment of interventions that supported distance, home-based schooling for
the most marginalised backgrounds found access to be limited and of low
quality. For instance, it was seen that,
·
Over 80% children in public schools did not received textbooks for
AY 2020-21 (Oxfam 2020). Of the 60% sample students who accessed any remote
learning resources, 80% reported they were learning less than in school (The
School Team 2021).
·
92% of children on average lost at least one specific language
ability and 82% lost one specific maths ability from the previous year across
all classes. This learning loss will not only hamper engagement with more
complex abilities but also cause disengagement with studies, school and peers
impacting potential drop-out rates (APU 2021).
·
Teachers limited capacity to facilitate online classes and
meaningful assessment, did not find useful online resources for teaching, could
not maintain emotional connection with their learners and reported that their students
could not complete assignments during online classes (APU 2020, Singh et.al.
2020).
·
59% of parents in private schools and 80% in public schools reported
that education was not delivered during lockdown. 81% parents faced challenges
to support their children to access digital education (Oxfam 2020). Citing
their dissatisfaction, an overwhelming 90% of parents surveyed were willing to
send their children to school with necessary health and safety precautions (APU
2020).
Impact on Health and
Well-being
During lockdown, 51% of parents with children below 5 years of age
could access immunisation services (CRY 2020). 83% urban and 73% rural
households reported consuming less food than before (APU 2020) with parents
confirming alterations in eating pattern of their children (CRY 2020) affecting
their nutritional status and overall development and leaving them agitated and
anxious (ibid).
The entitlements provided through schools were severely affected
too, with disruptions in supplementary nutrition programme (SNP) under
Anganwadi Services and mid-day meal (MDM) due to discontinuity, receipt of dry
rations or direct bank transfer (DBT) in lieu of MDM (Ambast 2021; Oxfam 2020).
Places where dry rations were provided in lieu of the MDM and SNP fell short of the
required nutritious and micronutrient-rich food (Acharya 2020). Experts predict that disruption in provisioning could increase
malnutrition in India by 10-20% and an additional 6000 children could die every
day due to disruption in health services (Awasthi 2020).
Children were locked up in homes during school closures. ChildLine reported receiving 92,000
calls reporting abuse and violence, with one-third of this number reported
during the first 11 days of the lockdown. According to data reported by ChildLine, a nodal agency of
the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development protecting children in
distress, out of 92,203 interventions, some 5,584 during the lockdown (35
percent) were related to child marriages. Of this number, 97 percent were
minors (18 years and below) and 91 percent were girls. Children’s mental
well-being was affected to a large extent.
This period also saw a large
number of drop-outs as parents could not afford fees, did not have the
infrastructure to support online schooling or children were employed in
domestic chores or in informal labour (ग्रामवाणी
फ़ीचर्ज़ 12 July 2021).
Vulnerable Children
The children with disabilities, children in remote locations,
tribal and migrant children and children in street situations were worst hit.
Children with disability are most dependent on face-to-face services for
health, education and protection. These services were severely hit during the
lockdown and subsequent social distancing measures. They were the least to gain
from online teaching-learning (UN 2020). Children in remote locations and
tribal areas were cut off from digital learning due to lack of devices and
connectivity (Sharma Sept. 8 2020). Migrant children witnessed the loss of
income and livelihoods of their parents, food shortage and insecurity and
discontinued schooling for long periods without access to online education
(Iftikhar 20 Jan 2022). For those in the street situation, reports documented systemic
failure to keep a track of data on their condition, inadequate services to
provide for their nutrition and rehabilitation due to loss of families during
the pandemic making the National Council for Protection of Child Rights revise
its guideline to focus on child as a unit of the family rather than without
(Majumdar Jan 2022).
COVID/Emergency
Responses
With the idea of school as a stable enterprise disrupted, the central
government addressed learning by reducing syllabus, offering online and digital
resources including TV and radio programmes (MHRD July 2021). To address
psycho-social issues life skills programme ‘Manodarpan’ offering a toll-free
helpline number, a website and a handbook on life-skills necessary to survive a
health crisis were started. Psycho-social support centres, ‘Snehi’ were set up
in different parts of India where counsellors helped children and adolescents
address their mental health issues (GoI 2021).
States, too, implemented their own measures. For instance, the
Uttar Pradesh Education Department opened the upper primary schools first
followed by primary schools. The DEOs, BEOs and teachers were given guidelines
on security, safety and sanitization for school reopening. They called parents
to school to assure the safety of their children.
The state is in the process of combining and/or reducing learning
outcomes expected of children in these classes for setting ‘realistic
expectations’. Such interventions can be problematic as ‘realistic
expectations’ could mean lowering expectations. Many states delivered workbooks
(made by external agencies) to children to ensure learning continuity and in
some states, teachers collected data on completion of these workbooks!
The teachers, on their own accord, connected with the community to
offer them spaces for learning to ensure continuity of engagement with
learning.
Many states provided dry ration in place of hot cooked
meals. Hot-cooked meals were provided in Odisha and Chhattisgarh through
self-help groups and Tamil Nadu instituted a robust system of provisioning and
monitoring of dry rations at doorstep. A representation of categories of
mid-day meals provided by all states and UTs is given,
|
Index
|
|
1
|
Dry Ration
|
|
2
|
Hot Cooked Meal
|
|
3
|
Additional items from State Resources
|
As far as children with disability are concerned, most states
(Punjab being an exception) did not issue any notification. The children, due
to school closure, lost out on therapeutic classes, sign language classes or
any effort for social interaction that is critical to maintain their
well-being. “We might lose what we have done in the last 30-40 years for CWSN,”
says Tulika Das of AROD
(RTE Forum 2021).
The challenge is that the long-standing demands for basic needs
like health, nutrition, social security as well as enrolment and continuity of
schooling still remain. In fact, these have become even more acute during the
pandemic. There is also a deepening crisis of community action as state
structures to support these are few.
Notable state interventions include anganwadi services open during
the pandemic in Delhi, tracking of COVID by state disaster management authority
in Andhra Pradesh (Urs 2020), running of community kitchens at each Panchayat
in Kerala (MSC May 2020), enhanced service coverage and improved coordination
between ICDS and state health programmes in Odisha, enrolment of migrant
workers in anganwadi centres to provide nutritious food from state/flexi funds
in Bihar (Suri and Kapur 2020), ensuring doorstep delivery of supplementary
nutrition and also assisting parents in undertaking creative learning
activities with their children at home in Gujarat (GoI 2020).
There was however, a huge gap in providing support, services and
policy actions for children under 6 years, likely to affect a generation of
children who will have a disadvantaged start in early years due to disruption
in basic support (The Indian Express 6 May 2021; UNICEF March 2021).
Key
Areas Discussed
With the pandemic rolling back much of the progress made in
education, climatic changes have added to the uncertainty of school reopening
to its pre-pandemic state. This has aggravated the situation for the
disadvantaged. The component of provisioning through one’s own pocket has
increased (UNESCO 2020), while the long-standing demands for basic needs like
health, nutrition, social security as well as enrolment and continuity of
schooling have become very acute.
A strategic plan to enable continuity of schooling, including
social security to all children, is needed both at the centre and state levels.
As a potential input towards the
development of such a plan, the RTE Forum held three consultation with
experts and members of grassroots organisations under the themes given,
1.
Safe reopening of schools focusing on marginalised children
2.
Learning deprivation, teacher development and pedagogy
3.
Role of governance in reopening schools
The objective of these consultations was to understand the process
of school closures and measures taken by the centre and the states to address
the emergency; the levels at which decision making was done to address school
closures, reopening; and schooling and provision of social security to
children. In addition, experts pointed out steps that the government could take
to ensure social security and learning of children as schools reopen, and for
emergencies in the future.
This policy brief lays out recommendations towards the plan for
the nation and states for children post school reopening. For doing so, it
considers three crucial areas of,
Quality
of Education including:
●
Addressing learning gaps
●
Addressing psycho-social and emotional needs
●
Teacher preparation
●
Suggestions for appropriate use of technology
●
Preparedness for future school disruptions
Equity
covering:
●
Adaptations to involve girls, Dalits, adivasis, minorities,
migrants, children with disabilities and other marginalised communities
●
School as a site of provision of social protection and
entitlements during the course of the pandemic
●
Supporting return of children – identification and mapping,
addressing needs of children who are part of child labour or experiencing
social protection needs
and Governance to ensure:
●
System preparedness
●
Decentralised decision making
●
Enhancing Accountability
●
Financing the recovery – resources needed for a comprehensive
response
Where appropriate, the recommendations within each of the above
are accompanied by suggested implementation steps that may be incorporated
within AWPBs or Learning Recovery Plans being developed by states.
School
Reopening and the Continuity of Schooling
A strategic action plan to reassert the right to education for
every child will take cognisance of critical issues , including:
●
How can schools prepare for a more complex process of admissions
and enrolments?
●
How can they address the needs of a much larger number of children
than before (due to the shift from private schools that have closed)?
●
Will teachers focus on cognitive learning alone or address
emotional and psycho-social learning? How will teachers look at children’s
relationship with each other as they have cut off from each other too?
●
Will teachers resort to the use of online teaching, hybrid
teaching?
●
How will the teachers and schools be supported?
During the shift from ‘offline to online’, teachers were provided
readymade worksheets and blueprints of lesson plans to be relayed to the
children. Teachers, however, look at children as belonging to diverse contexts,
and feel they need to ‘adapt the curriculum’ to the cultural and social milieu
of children, as well as their aspirations and the opportunities they need
(Batra et. al. 2021). Thus, shifting from a one-size-fits-all to ‘to each
according to their need’ is a challenge in itself.
This section presents the steps that can be taken to address the
challenges faced. These steps have been categorised under quality, equity and
governance strategies. The more specific ‘action plans’ at systemic and civil
society levels are elaborated in the next section titled
‘Implementation’.
Recommendations
Quality
School is a space for children – it is as much a space for equity,
justice and democracy as it is for learning. It offers care and protection and acts as the site of
delivery of various social security schemes, including for school
health and MDM, which contribute to children’s overall health and development.
Recent evidence shows that food security reduces stunting and intergenerational
impact of malnutrition making it an important contributor to children’s
development. The following steps are recommended towards improvement in
the quality of schooling.
Addressing
Learning Gaps (Holistically)
In the Immediate Term
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
|
As the schools reopen, psycho-social support should be made an
integral part to make an effective learning environment.
|
·
Constitute a state level advisory group drawn from professionals from
relevant groups.
·
Constitute an experts group to develop modules and other resources
needed at school as well as cluster, block, district and state levels.
·
Based on inputs of advisory group, expert team may orient state,
district and sub-district level resource persons to deliver the required
inputs to teachers, Head Teachers, SMCs and others relevant. The state
monitoring system may monitor psycho-social support being provided to
students and suggest course correction as needed.
|
|
Content specific pedagogy to enable Learning Recovery may be
planned, with teachers acting as a resource for planning and delivering this
content in partnership with children and community.
|
Key inputs needed
·
Help teachers identify critical prerequisites for each grade (the
intention is not to do a full-fledged bridge programme but bring each child
to grade level learning as quickly as possible).
·
Evolve a pedagogy whereby teachers can easily work with groups of
children at multiple levels.
·
Use an indexing system to enable teachers to identify resources from
existing materials already available. Create only minimum required material.
|
|
Where the pandemic has not subsided fully, address the timings
of institutions, in particular anganwadis. These might need extension of
hours and staggering of shifts, say, 2-3 shifts from 9 am to 5 pm, with fewer
children in each group.
|
·
A state level committee may be established and initiate a rapid
situational analysis in this regard, followed by decisions made by
authorities.
·
Since
this will require additional work for existing cadres, they will need to be
financially compensated, a key consideration for the state level committee.
Currently AWWs are employed for 4-5 hours but work longer.
·
District level authorities may be empowered to take decisions on
timings. In addition, other issues such as who will
pick up children of working parents, will need to be worked out through
localised efforts.
|
Wherever teachers took the initiative to run
learning centres, the connect with parents, teachers, block and district
officials – should continue as this would provide an effective learning
environment for children, support assessment of student learning and recover
learning loss with use of appropriate resources.
|
·
The role of SMCs may be strengthened through the creation of
Volunteer School Support Groups anchored by the SMCs wherever such
cooperation is available.
·
A generic Terms of Reference for such Volunteer School Support Groups
may be created.
·
NGOs may be involved in developing orientation programmes for such
groups to help them be effective.
·
Sharing of success stories in this regard will help generate
motivation and create a supportive environment.
·
However, it is important that this remain a voluntary rather than
mandated activity.
|
|
Given the evolving nature of the pandemic (and the post-pandemic
period, including climate events) an online repository of resources, relevant
research studies in education, policy trackers – can provide a snapshot
across the country along with information on school closure and reopening.
This can assist the national and state governments to monitor situation and
plan systematic action.
|
·
Various
organisations have come together under coalitions / networks to create such
resources – and these can be readily drawn upon as well as extended, and the
links provided to implementers at different levels.
|
For the Long Term
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
|
Learning Recovery is unlikely to be a
short term ‘remedial’ project and will need a longer term perspective over
the next few years. Till such time as the new National and State Curriculum
Frameworks and their related textbooks are in place, it will help to redesign
the syllabi, making teachers an integral part of the process to strengthen
it.
|
·
‘Bridge’ courses
or ‘concentrated’ courses essentially try to squeeze expected learning into
less time – this is often difficult for teachers as all inputs, whether
critical or peripheral receive the same amount of time. It would be more
helpful to identify key pre-requisites for each level and concentrate on
ensuring that those are attained.
·
Teachers will
need inputs on handling an increasingly diverse level of students, and the
earlier work done in India on MGML (Multi-grade, Multi-level) pedagogy would
be of use here.
·
States are
already in the process of adapting their syllabi towards learning recovery.
Organising a few national / regional interactions will enable cross-learning
and increase the pace of implementation.
|
The assessment
system should be made inclusive for children with disabilities as they would
need specific interventions to make up for the lost learning time at school
during the pandemic.
|
·
Task Forces to
Address the Needs of Children with Disabilities could be established at state
and district levels to assess, plan and implement steps.
·
In particular,
the ongoing assessment processes need to be adapted to seek children with disabilities
and identify their needs.
|
Health
and Nutrition Requirements
The last two years
have made the interconnections between learning, nutrition and health even more
apparent, with children having suffered on all counts. Given that further waves
cannot be ruled out, it is critical to put in place mechanisms to address the
issues involved.
In the Immediate Term
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
Schools may be seen as the ‘first to reopen
and last to close’.
|
·
A ‘protocol document’ on school closure and reopening may be created,
offering clear guidance authorities at different levels on the kinds of
actions to undertake given the varying situations they may encounter.
|
|
This being a phasic virus, it is necessary to identify and
disseminate the signs on the basis of which decisions regarding school
closure may be taken at various levels (including school / cluster / block /
district), including any processes of obtaining permission from requisite
authorities.
|
·
A Expert Group drawn from medical professionals, educationists, CSOs
and administrators could be created at the state level to pool information
and experience over the last two years to develop easy-to-follow guidelines
in this regard.
·
Once created, decision makers at various levels may need a short
orientation.
·
A helpline for decision making authorities may be created, wherein
they can consult relevant expert/authorities in case of doubtful situations.
|
|
When necessary, COVID protocols must be followed at schools
including masks for children over 5 years only, sanitization for surface
hygiene and social distancing. More important than surface hygiene is full
use of open spaces (Dr. Vandana Prasad). Health schemes and programmes
such as the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) or the school health
scheme that contribute to children’s health, were stalled and may be resumed.
|
·
The Expert Group mentioned above may provide the basis for continued
convergence between Education and Health departments.
·
Apart from guidelines on school closure and reopening, they may also
provide suggestions on safe functioning and optimal usage of school spaces.
·
A resumption of the school health services and provisioning may be
effected, in case not already done.
·
During
the pandemic, the lack of supply of iron-folic acid (IFA) tablets, sanitary
napkins, and the stalled implementation of immunisation activities at the
anganwadis centres have put children at risk. States may partner with public
health officials to prioritise implementation of national plans to intensify
reach and make policies to prevent discontinuities in the future.
|
|
Dry ration or cash transfer have well known limitations. Ration
is often distributed among all family members due to deteriorating food
security for households. Young children also need to be fed 4-5 times a day
and, with parents going out for work, it is young siblings who feed babies.
Therefore, beyond provision of food, spot feeding of hot cooked meals is a
critical requirement.
|
·
While feeding programmes have resumed, an enhancement is called for
to enable ‘nutritional recovery’ along with learning recovery.
·
The enhanced role of the AWW supported by the volunteer groups
referred to above, may be utilised to ensure spot more frequent spot feeding
of young children.
|
The anganwadi workers were involved in
conducting awareness campaigns, surveys, home delivery of supplementary
nutrition, quarantine arrangements for returning migrants and arranging for
relief measures during the pandemic. Despite being at risk themselves, they
had limited or no access to PPE kits, lack of transport arrangements, long
distance travel and no functional place of work in addition to being severely
underpaid and overburdened as the cadre is understaffed (Sinha et.al. 2021).
Anganwadi workers’ demands for better pay, full-time employment and
associated benefits (Indian Express Feb 7 2022) needs an immediate and
effective response by the State (Indian Express Feb 12 2022) and civil
society.
|
For the Long Term
·
NHFS-5 data shows rising communicable diseases
and obesity, attributed to high consumption of fortified, processed or junk
food. Since dry rations or DBTs do not ensure a nutritious supplement for the
child as much as a hot cooked meals, it is recommended that MDM comprise of hot
cooked meals with a focus on appropriate nutrition as recommended by experts.
·
Provision and implementation plans for
breakfast provisions in NEP 2020 and noon meals at the secondary stage is
recommended to enable improvement in health and nutrition status. Present mechanisms
to ensure quality and nutrition value may be extended accordingly.
·
Health systems have improved considerably
between May 2020 and December 2021, along with an improvement in immunization
by ASHA workers. The process used in this regard, along with generating a high
degree of community awareness, in Delhi, can become a model for other states.
·
Since the families have lost incomes and
employment, there is a need to expand relief work for families for a longer
period (about seven months).
Addressing
Psycho-Social and Emotional Needs
Psycho-social care is required for the children, teachers, Head
Teachers and the community. This being an emergency, a pyramidal care model
would work best.
In the Immediate Term
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
Creation of a safe, secure and protected environment
including measures such as ensuring social distance and sanitisation. In terms
of pedagogy it means practising learner centred methods in a fear-free
environment of the classroom. Fear triggers such as teacher behaviour, rules,
regulations and assessment may require to be addressed, in accordance with
the RTE Act, 2009.
|
·
Many steps have been suggested in this regard earlier.
·
It might help states to develop their version of ‘post-pandemic
pedagogy’ drawing upon the holistic, experiential and differential pedagogy
recommended in the NEP 2020.
·
The teacher standards under development will need to incorporate
classroom process aspects drawing from the mandate to develop a supportive
classroom.
|
In the Medium
Term
|
Recommendation
|
Implementation
Steps
|
|
Working with trained professionals like teachers,
health workers and protection officers working with children to give
psychosocial care. Integrate health workers to the school system and teacher
training.
|
·
The
school health programme will need to be upgraded with a ‘school mental
health’ component.
·
Ongoing
orientations of teachers may incorporate the critical dimension of supporting
student mental health.
|
|
Raise awareness among family and community to
facilitate psychosocial care for the children.
|
·
Ongoing
community involvement programmes (including on enrolment and retention), may
incorporate elements of psychosocial care.
|
For the Long Term
·
A mechanism for coordination with specialised institutions be
developed to identify serious cases and refer them to mental health experts.
Teacher
Preparation
In designing the school processes going forward it will help to
document teachers’ / Head Teachers’ / supervisors’ experience of the pandemic –
the problems they faced by teachers, how they coped/are coping, what they are
resorting to and what have they learnt
during the pandemic. Going ahead, this could form the basis for many of the
steps involved in teacher preparation.
In the Immediate Term
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
|
·
To protect the
well-being, health and economic security of teachers and other education
personnel, provide them with training of safe reopening and support once
schools are open.
·
Teacher training on
‘post-pandemic’ pedagogy will be critical as teachers are faced with a new
diversity in schools with increased enrolments in government schools during
the pandemic as a large number of children moved from private to government
schools during this time.
·
Teacher trainings must
follow a child-centred, constructivist, experiential pedagogy that emphasizes
socio-emotional connect and is designed to address differential needs arising
in children for the current diversity.
·
To address children’s
needs, the teachers vacancies should be filled with immediate effect and
pending salaries and allowances be paid.
|
·
The NEP 2020’s emphasis on TPD and holistic, experiential pedagogy
provides a basis that may be built upon.
·
However, this is not like developing the regular in-service programme
and requires – a) rapid school level pilots to evolve models of ‘post pandemic
pedagogy’ b) formulation of clear performance standards and indicators c)
involving experts from health and psycho-social development domains d) a
targeted programme to train the trainers, and e) monitoring both the training
and the resultant classroom processes using the standards
·
The AWPB appraisal process may examine state actions on filling
approved vacancies and clearance of dues.
|
For the Long Term
The transitions needed are difficult to attain
in the short term. Hence, a long-term view, along with an appropriate gestation
period, is required in supporting teachers to attain the various curricular goals connected with
learning recovery. One way to enable this is to help teachers articulate
personal goals, work towards them, discuss with peers and receive appropriate
mentoring inputs. This is currently being worked towards under NEP and will
need sustained emphasis to bear fruit.
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
|
Teachers’ capacities will be strengthened if they have spaces
where they can share their experiences and learnings. Hence, setting up
teacher collectives could enhance their capability to assert and participate
in the process. Teachers’ concerns also need attention and response.
|
·
Though the CRCs were set up expressly for this purpose, this has not
happened and may now be revived. The school cluster recommended in the NEP
may provide a basis towards this. The guidelines being developed for these
clusters may go beyond the administrative-financial aspects to supporting the
development of teacher collectives as a learning community. With many CSOs
already having worked on this, their experience may be tapped.
|
|
Enhancing teacher professional capabilities in terms of
perspective and skilling is likely to generate better returns if their agency
is foregrounded. Since local decision-making will continue to be needed,
envisioning them as problem solvers and changemakers at their level is
crucial.
|
·
It is critical to discontinue the present practice of academic plans
being given to teachers from state/district level. A far more effective
process would be for teacher collectives to develop their term-wise teaching
plans, ask for inputs to implement them, and then be monitored by CRC-BRC
against the targets they themselves have set.
|
Suggestions
of Appropriate use of Technology
The gap in digital access is an important concern so is the
quality of digital instruction itself as pointed out in the section ‘impact on
education’. It is recognised that younger children’s reading is hampered by use
of digital devices (Wolf 2018) therefore a face-to-face instruction is
imperative. Technology to support teaching-learning needs tremendous overhaul.
Instead, technology can be used as a platform for coordination and support at
various levels as recommended.
In the Immediate Term
·
Prioritise getting all children
back to school and anganwadis for complete or partial in-person instruction.
Digital education and remote learning cannot replace regular face-to-face
instruction.
·
Tech can be utilised
to support children’s participation through social awareness inputs for parents
– e.g. data on vaccine efficacy or how children are not affected by viruses.
This can ensure confidence in parents to send children to school.
·
Digital mediums can
be used to make inclusive content. For example, interpretation and sub-titles
required for the hearing impaired.
·
For pre-primary education and anganwadi
education, technology is not appropriate. However, in situation where no other
option is available, blended learning
models need to be evolved keeping in mind children’s developmental needs and
contexts.
·
The
present structural gaps in coordination between Ministries of Education and
Women and Child Development should be bridged for evolving a blended
curriculum.
·
In addition to a blended curriculum, its
manifestation through an effective pedagogy, including voice-based and physical activities, through
phone or WhatsApp calls, along with a trained support adult such as a Shikshamitra
should be planned. Since a completely online approach will not work, even with
blended learning in use, staggered shift of 1.5-2 hours would need to be
arranged physically.
For the Long-term
·
Technology should be used in
meaningful ways to address psychosocial needs of children like providing
counselling support and reaching out to children who lack parental support.
Equity
While equity issues presented a challenge before the pandemic,
the situation has been exacerbated in the last two years, with many
marginalised groups now well below the levels they were earlier. Migration and
the neglect of needs of many groups, in particular children with disability,
have created urgent areas to be addressed. A range of adaptations is required to
ensure the inclusion of girls, Dalits, adivasis, minorities, migrants, children
with disabilities and other marginalised communities.
Running through the different aspects involved are the following two
cross-cutting recommendations:
·
A systematic assessment of the situation of
underprivileged classes, tribal areas, migrant population, children with
disabilities and traditionally deprived groups at the national, state and
district level will help identify the impact of the disruption of the education
system and to identify out of school children.
·
Surveys revealed that gender based violence was aggravated during
the lockdown, with girls reporting increased violence, harassment and abuse,
along with restricted movement. While this was present before the pandemic too,
it is now crucial to ensure mobility and restore the voice of girls within
school spaces. Many of the recommendations and suggested steps below will
enable this.
Supporting
return of children – identification and mapping, addressing needs of children
who are part of child labour or experiencing social protection needs
The enrolment in government schools has increased during the
pandemic. Children leaving low-fee private schools and their families migrating
back to their villages have contributed to this increase. An understanding of
this increase is required as it is likely causing changes in Teacher-Pupil
Ratio and needs to be considered when allocating funds for various schemes. In
addition, an understanding of the situation on ground will assist in planning
teaching-learning, infrastructure needs, enrolment and continuity of schooling.
This need analysis can be planned for.
In the Immediate Term
Many of the following may be incorporated
into AWPBs and Learning Recovery Plans.
·
Re-open schools that have been closed/merged/rationalized
during previous years to enable delivery of small group instruction respecting
social distancing and stop further closures.
·
A verification of attendance registers for the
last 3-4 months will be helpful for checking regularity of children attending
school as well as in bringing them back to school. In addition, an absence of 5
continuous days should be taken seriously to prevent drop-out. Local groups
like SMCs, gram panchayats and volunteers can be involved in this process.
·
A notification to schools to stop them from
asking Transfer Certificates from parents who are admitting children to
government school in line with the existing provisions of the RTE Act. This is
required as private schools in many states are reluctant to provide the same,
blocking children’s access to education.
·
It will be crucial to identify and enhance the
infrastructure of schools such as separate toilets for girls and boys, taps in
running condition, and so on to ensure adequacy for increased enrolment. The
government may offer free bus passes to children to prevent drop-out.
·
An early identification of increase in
enrolment can be addressed by enhancing the capacity of existing residential
schools e.g., Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and ashramshalas.
Governance
The pandemic placed numerous governance challenges and brought out
areas that need to be strengthened to deal with the effects as well as towards
long-term preparedness. Certain governance lacunae, too, were detrimental to
providing support to children, such as the ineffective tracking of street
children, considering child as independent of the family unit, and measures like
keeping children separated from their
sick families. For the future exigencies, it is recommended that WCD and
SCPCR partner with local NGOs, SHGs and panchayats for planning and
implementation of response mechanisms.
System
Preparedness
In
the Immediate term
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
Mapping of children in
vulnerable circumstances and policy interventions for their rehabilitation
and support.
|
·
Child mapping / Village Education Registers / Door-to-door surveys
have been conducted several times by education departments earlier – and the
same can provide the basis for a mapping of children in vulnerable affected
by the pandemic.
·
The data may be publicly shared to obtain feedback, suggestions and
support in developing appropriate responses on an ongoing basis.
|
A systematic assessment of schools should be
undertaken including analysis of the infrastructure, teacher vacancies
(specifically female teachers), and school grants to identify overall school
needs in the changed context and to pinpoint instances where existing grants have either not been issued or utilised.
|
·
As above, various forms of school accreditation processes have been
underway – and the same may now be tweaked to yield information needed in the
present context.
·
To the extent it is feasible, U-DISE may incorporate required data to
aid in de-centralised decision-making and response.
|
For the Long Term
·
Develop a long term policy on Education in Emergencies to
ensure readiness for future crises.
Decentralised
Decision Making
In the Immediate Term
·
In the pandemic context, school reopening and
closure decisions need to be decentralised at the District level. There are
examples during the pandemic like in Odisha where the gram panchayat head was
given powers as a collector to decide school opening and closure. This can
prevent school closure where not required.
Steps in this regard have been suggested earlier in the
document.
In the Long Term
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
A lateral sharing among blocks and clusters
will be critical rather than only vertical sharing.
|
As in the case of teacher collectives
and peer learning, similar platforms for sharing among clusters and blocks
may be created. States do have block and districts level meetings, which can
be adapted for the purpose of cross-learning.
|
Enhancing[1]
Accountability
While
there is synergy between the MoE and MWCD at the
national and state levels, the same needs
to be institutionalized at the district level with district collectors and
district officers. These synergy mechanisms should also involve CSOs as such
organizations will have the most useful insights, access and technical
expertise. The national/state level may undertake benchmarking and guideline
setting. (Sumitra Mishra)
In the Immediate Term
·
Opening of bank accounts needs to be made
easier as the bank accounts of the children are being opened with great
difficulty – long lines, documents etc. This is also preventing giving
entitlements to children whose accounts are not opened.
·
At present, communication on joining back school tends to be sent
out in a general manner – it may not reach out to all or contain clarifications
needed by different groups of parents. For instance, parents of very young
children or children with disabilities may need specific information on
reopening, duration, attendance, precautions, support available, etc.
For the Long Term
·
A social audit of schools relevant to the
pandemic situation will assist in making schools responsive to children. The
MHRD had a national level meeting for starting national level
social-audits.
·
A simple and easy to use National Index of
Educational Needs Responsiveness may be created to rate the degree, timeliness
and effectiveness of states responding to the needs of children in pandemic and
post-pandemic periods. This will help to demonstrate the process capabilities
at different districts, blocks, states and help states know when they are doing
a good job).
Financing
the recovery – resources needed for a comprehensive response
Studies show that education budgets were slashed by 65% in low and
middle income countries as compared to 33% high and upper-middle income
countries doing so (NDTV 2021). The IndiaSpend report shows that twelve Indian
states reduced share of education in their budgets and nineteen states are
estimated to have spent less than what they proposed in financial year
2020-2021 (Satpute, Scroll 21 Feb 22).
In the Immediate Term
Recommendation
|
Implementation Steps
|
Social security for all children should be
ensured as schools reopen.
|
This requires building on many
of the steps suggested earlier to enhance in-class and in-school processes,
teacher capacitation, community involvement and strengthening governance to
address social security aspects.
|
An analysis of the allocated budget and
specific planning for addressing areas where allocations are required is
needed along with an increase in the budget.
|
A financial study may be
commissioned in this regard.
|
In the Medium Term
·
It may be worth considering to keep the Midday meal structure
separate from the education structure. For instance, Bihar is looking at
keeping a separate MDM structure so nutrition can be segregated from the
schooling activities. This needs financial allocation and budget.
·
At present there are many villages where teachers are unable to
stay due to lack of accommodation. Financial allocation will be required to
enable teachers to stay in the same village as their school.
For
the Long-term
·
An analysis of the economic cost of closing schools compared to
keeping them open may be undertaken [income-expenditure on health, security] as
it is highly likely that the cost of school closure is much higher in the long
run since it affects health of the population, income of the economy and HDI of
the country.
·
Given the policy aim (including in NEP 2020) to attain the
target of 6% of GDP expenditure on education (compared to the current 3.5%) to
meet SDG 4 (Rai and Sharma 2017), Government should aim for progressive
taxation. In addition, proposals from various economists for attaining this
targed (including Prof. Prabhat Patnnaik) may be considered. Various economists have also proposed ways of sourcing
funding for education such that it enables the attainment of SGD goals of the
country.
Conclusion
Extended school closures during the pandemic had unprecedented effects
on learning as well as psychosocial wellbeing of the children. These also
caused disruption of access to welfare schemes that form the mainstay for
vulnerable groups. National and state governments implemented various
initiatives aimed at continuity of education, including the use of media,
e-platforms and web platforms. As schools reopened, the National Achievement
Survey was conducted to analyse health status and learning gaps of the education
system to prepare a focused strategy and reimagine teaching-learning in the
present context of increased classroom diversity. In addition, welfare schemes
resumed and recognition of children falling out of ambit of the schemes due to
lack of documents, bank accounts, migration etc. began. Based on the Learning
Recovery Plan (including initial budgetary provisions) Central and State
governments intend to develop long term plans for each systemic level to cover
lost ground. This document provides inputs towards effective ways of
addressing the needs of vulnerable groups, in the immediate, medium and long
terms.
At the school level, the teachers' own health and wellbeing, teacher
training and use of multiple resources and methods for a diverse classroom with
children at multiple levels of learning have to be addressed. The
school-SMC/community partnerships during the pandemic need strengthening to
ensure learning continuity. Support of the CRC, BRC, district and state levels
have to be reimagined for teacher capacity building and support to address the
academic issues faced, training for psychosocial support and creating a conducive
learning environment.
The state system has initiated strategic action plans for learning
recovery. It has planned for ensuring access to schooling for the children
including below 6 years, streamlining welfare and health schemes at the school
and community levels but will require support in capacity building, ongoing
implementation in district and sub-district levels as well as monitoring.
Partnerships with the civil society organisations in these areas can be that
critical support in attaining a deeper and long-term impact.
References
·
Azevedo, Joao Pedro Wagner De; Rogers, F. Halsey; Ahlgren, Sanna
Ellinore; Cloutier, Marie-Helene; Chakroun, Borhene; Chang, Gwang-Chol;
Mizunoya, Suguru; Reuge, Nicolas Jean; Brossard, Matt; Bergmann, Jessica Lynn,
2021. The State of the Global Education Crisis: a path to recovery. Washington,
D.C.: UNESCO, UNICEF and World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/416991638768297704/The-State-of-the-Global-Education-Crisis-A-Path-to-Recovery
- Baruah, S.
and Chadha, P.S. Feb 7 2022. Hardlook: the protest by anganwadi workers,
helpers in Delhi and Gurgaon. New Delhi: Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/what-women-want-anganwadi-workers-protest-7760271/
- Batra,
P., Bazaz, A., Shanmugam, A.,Ranjit, N., Kaur, H. and Das, R. (2021).
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Education, Livelihoods and Health.
Bengaluru: TESF India, IIHS. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24943/ICPELHI08.2021
- COVID-19:
SOP/Guidelines for Health and Safety Protocols for Reopening of Schools
and Learning with Physical/Social Distancing. Sept, 2020. MHRD. New
Delhi.
- CRY 2020.
Rapid Online Perception Study about the effects of COVID-19 on Children.
New Delhi. Retrieved from - https://www.cry.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Report-CRY_COVID-19-Study.pdf
- Devara
Rajagopal, EPW, Dec 5, 2020, Vol LV, No. 48. Pp. 21-25. Broadband Internet
Access: a luxury or a right?
·
ET
Bureau. 02 Feb 2021. Budget 2021: 6% cut in allocation for education. In
Economic Times. Retrieved from -https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/budget-2021-6-cut-in-allocation-for-education-sector/articleshow/80640500.cms
- GoI 21 July
2020. PIB: Union HRD Minister launches MANODARPAN initiative of Ministry
of HRD to provide psychosocial support to students for their Mental Health
and Well-being. Retrieved from - https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/Manodarpan-merged_0.pdf
- GoI. 2020.
Health and Nutrition : practice insights, Vol. II. New Delhi: NITI Ayog.
Retrieved from - https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2020-08/Practice_Insight_Vol_II.pdf
- Iftikhar,
F. 20 Jan 2022. Amid Lockdown
Digital Divide left Migrants’ Kids out in the Cold. Hindustan Times. New
Delhi. Retrieved from - https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amid-lockdown-digital-divide-left-migrants-kids-out-in-the-cold-101642617984307.html
- Locked Out:
emergency report on school education. Sept 2021. The School Team
- Majumdar, R.
28 Jan 2022. India: coronavirus school closures remove safety net for poor
children. DW. https://www.dw.com/en/india-coronavirus-school-closures-remove-safety-net-for-poor-children/a-60586746
- MHRD, July
2021. Initiatives by School Education Sector in 2020-21 for Continuing
Teaching and Learning. New Delhi:GoI. Retrieved from - https://www.education.gov.in/covid-campaign/docs/initiatives_covid.pdf
- Microsave
Consulting. May 2020. Addressing COVID-19 Pandemic: learnings and good
practices from Indian states – round 3. Retrieved from - https://www.microsave.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/MSC-Best-Practices-in-Indian-states-response-to-Covid-19-Round-3_Website-1.pdf
- NDTV. Feb 28
2021. India among Countries that Slashed Budget after COVID. Retrieved
from - https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-among-countries-that-slashed-education-budget-after-covid-report-2380369
- Parenting
Desk. 6 May 2021. Early Childhood Education: a victim of COVID-19? Indian
Express: New Delhi. Retrieved from -
https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/learning/early-childhood-education-a-silent-victim-of-covid-19-7300641/
- Rai, A. and
Sharma, A. 2017. Sustainable Development Goals: agenda 2030. New Delhi:
Wada Na Todo Abhiyan. https://gcap.global/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sustainable-Development-Goals-2018.pdf
- Reopening
Schools after COVID-19 Closures April, 2021. India Task Force: The Lancet COVID-19
Commission. New Delhi.
- RTE Forum.
Safe Reopening of Schools focusing on Marginalised Children. 3 hours 08
min 53 secs. 18 Nov 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgd7IbwM084
- Satpute, P.
21 Feb 2022. Data Check: twelve Indian states have reduced the share of
education in their budget allocations. In, Scroll. Retrieved from - https://scroll.in/article/1017428/data-check-twelve-indian-states-have-reduced-the-share-of-education-in-their-budget-allocations
- Sharma, H.
Feb 12 2022. MPs demand better facilities for anganwadi workers. New
Delhi: Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/anganwadi-workers-salary-covid-19-lok-sabha-7768493/
- Sharma, N. 8
September 2020. As cities adjust to new normal, tribal children suffer
from lack of devices, connectivity. The Economic Times. Retrieved from – https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/as-cities-adjust-to-new-normal-tribal-children-suffer-from-lack-of-devices-connectivity/articleshow/77986088.cms
- Shoba
Suri and Kriti Kapur, “POSHAN Abhiyaan: Fighting Malnutrition in the Time
of a Pandemic,” ORF Special Report No. 124, December
2020, Observer Research Foundation. Retrieved from - https://www.orfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ORF_SpecialReport_124_Poshan.pdf
- Singh, A.,
Satyavada, R.S., Goel, T., Sarangapani, P. and Jayendran, N. 2020. Use of
EdTech in IndianSchool Education during COVID-19 - A Reality Check.
Economic & Political Weekly, 55(44). https://www.epw.in/journal/2020/44/commentary/use-edtech-indian-school-education-during-covid-19.html
- Sinha, D., Gupta, M.
& Shriyan, D. High Risk without Recognition: challenges faced by
female frontline workers. In Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 56, Issue
No. 19. Retrieved from - https://www.epw.in/engage/article/high-risk-without-recognition-challenges-faced
- UNICEF,
2021. Rapid Assessment of Learning during School Closures in the Context
of COVID. New Delhi: India.
- UNICEF,
2021. No Teacher, No Class: state of the education report for India. New
Delhi.
- UNICEF March
2021. Direct and Indirect Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Response in
South East Asia. Nepal: UNICEF. Retrieved from - https://www.unicef.org/rosa/media/13066/file/Main%20Report.pdf
- UNICEF,
UNESCO & World Bank, 2021. Mission Recovering Education. Retrieved
from - https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/675f44dfad2b034dd0bc54ba2da25839-0090012021/original/BROCHURE-EN.pdfOxfam Sept,
2020. Status Report: government and private schools during COVID-19.
India.
- United
Nations. 15 April 2020. Policy Brief: the impact of COVID-19 on children.
Retrieved from - https://unsdg.un.org/sites/default/files/2020-04/160420_Covid_Children_Policy_Brief.pdf
- Urs, A. 02
April 2020. Central Government shares 8 Best Practices followed by States
to tackle Coronavirus Outbreak. Business Line. Bengaluru. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/central-government-shares-8-best-practices-followed-by-states-to-tackle-coronavirus-outbreak/article31233171.ece
- Wolf, M.
2018. Reader Come Home: the reading brain in a digital world. Harper
Collins.
- पढ़ने खेलने की उम्र में
मज़दूरी करने को अभिशप्त हैं कोरोना काल की लाखों अभागी संतानें! ग्रामवाणी
फ़ीचर्ज़ 12
July 2021 एडिटर.
Retrieved from- https://junputh.com/open-space/covid-19-has-pushed-millions-of-children-into-child-labour-and-petty-jobs/
Everything related to
commercialization of education and regulation of private schools has been
removed. Absolute red line for Oxfam India.
