Page 17 - newsletter 14 aug

EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON A lot has been discussed on the impact COVID-19
has had on the economy, social classes, and the
EDUCATION SECTOR
environment. But teachers are more concerned
about the impact it is having on the education
Shyam Shriwal, XII D
Coronavirus pandemic has significantly disrupted system. It is well known that investment in the
various sectors in India including oil and gas, education system has a very high incubation
automobiles, aviation, agriculture, retail, etc. We period. As a result, the current impacts of the
can't ignore that hardly a sector would remain pandemic on the education system would also
unaffected by the crisis. The impact may be more or have a high incubation period, making them difficult
less. Same is with the education sector in India. Let to measure in the long-term.
us find out the impact of coronavirus on education in While predictions are wide-ranging, most suggest
India. that our current economic downturn, plus the
extraordinary costs for health care and
unemployment, could produce a reduction in state
education revenue of at least 10% this year and
20% or more in 2020–21. It is difficult to
estimate the length of any recession, but it is hard
to believe that our current economic situation will
turn around overnight—like flipping off a light
switch. If these projections are correct, the resulting
hit to education spending would be two and a half
times worse than the lowest point of the last
recession.

Sometime in the second week of March, state
governments across the country began shutting
down schools and colleges temporarily as a
measure to contain the spread of the novel
coronavirus. It’s about three months now and there
is no certainty when they will reopen. This is a
crucial time for the education sector—board
examinations, nursery school admissions, entrance “Students from all walks of life have now resorted
tests of various universities and competitive to online learning due to the fear of Covid-19 and
examinations, among others, are all held during this avoiding travelling to offline tuition/coaching
period. As the days pass by with no immediate centres,” said Vamsi Krishna, CEO & Co-founder of
solution to stop the outbreak of Covid-19, school and Vedantu, which is joining hands with schools to
university closures will not only have a short-term help provide uninterrupted classes. The company
impact on the continuity of learning for more than has seen a 10x growth in the number of users
285 million young learners in India but also signing up ever since the outbreak. The spike has
engender far-reaching economic and societal been witnessed across all school grades, with the
consequences. highest spike seen for JEE, NEET courses.
While the schools and various other educational
institutions are being shut in times of pandemic,
many online teaching platforms and applications like
Google meet, zoom app etc. are doing brisk
business and are earning good lots in times of
pandemic due to large dependency of many schools
and other institutions on such platforms.
For the closure,the education industry despite being
hit hard by the pandsemic,continues to push it’s
boundaries and both the teachers and students are
working hard like never before to face the difficulty
they never envisaged.