Aishe Ghosh
Paras Madikar reacted to the shutdown of his school in Latur, Maharashtra, as most 11-year-olds would. He was delighted that his class IV exams had been cancelled and looked forward to an extended vacation. That didn’t happen. His father, Shrikant, 45, lost his job as a driver and had to take on the only one he could get, at a wage more than two-thirds lower than his last income. His mother Sarita, 35, also lost her job as a cook with the lockdown coming into force on March 25.
“I can’t tell you what a terrible neck pain I have every evening! My mother gives me an oil massage with a warm cloth when I get home. So that next morning I can carry a load of produce again,” grumbles little Paras.
Srushti’s problem is different. “My stomach hurts badly at around noon,” she says. “I drink nimbu paani before eating lunch – that gives me a little relief.” Neither child had ever done physical labour before the lockdown. Now they’re out there, in the worst possible circumstances, to earn a bit of bread, forget the butter.”
The UNESCO, in a press release on the 26th of March, stated that over 1.5 billion children and youth in 165 countries were affected by school and university closures which led to a sudden disruption in formal academic engagements. The world is going through an unprecedented situation; the health crisis has taken away nearly two lakh lives so far. The impact of such a situation will be immense on students — leading to increased dropouts, gendered gaps in education outcomes, and further marginalisation of historically deprived sections of the society from spaces of learning etc. Although the UN and WHO have been issuing advisories to countries to address the issues of the students, reality shows a different picture.
History is witness to this — whether it was Ebola or the present COVID-19, education has been the worst hit. The 2014 Ebola crisis nearly killed 6,000 people and affected 16,000 people in West Africa. Reports clearly highlight that it is important to prioritise education during such humanitarian crises. One of the UN reports had even stated that the Ebola outbreak could reverse the years of educational progress. There were increasing cases of school dropouts, especially of women who were affected due to early pregnancy.
According to expert advice, the only way to stop the spread of virus is imposing strict lockdowns, which started in India from around the mid-week of March. However, the unpreparedness with which the same was carried out and the ad-hoc manner in which educational institutions were dealt with have pushed students from the marginalised sections, economically weaker sections, women, and especially the first generation learners to precarity, leaving them inadequately prepared to face the tough times. Earlier in March, it was seen how notices issued by educational institutions on the back of ambiguity in government instructions, especially in residential universities to vacate hostels within 48 hours, led to unnecessary travel when students migrated en masse to their hometowns, placing both themselves and their families at risk.
Board examinations, entrance examinations have all been postponed till further orders without timely updates, leaving students in greater despair. Numerous schools, affiliated to different boards, have decided to promote students from class I to VIII without any assessment. While it is an appreciable step in itself, lack of clarity regarding the payment of fees has created additional pressure on families. These schools have started re-admission procedures charging thousands through online payment. Some schools have even started issuing guidelines to purchase new books and academic material for the upcoming session, when no such guidelines have come from the central government. In the name of waivers, what schools have offered is only an extension in time limit and has not cut a single penny from the fee structure. Further, it is also important to note how a significant amount of the nutritional intake of Indian children comes from mid-day meals — the lack of access to which in many states would undeniably result in limiting the ability to learn, even if one were to assume uniform and adequate internet access across households. The vast majority of students who have travelled back home, especially women, would be forced to engage in household chores.
The NSSO data of 2014 clearly shows how more than 10% of the population doesn’t reach higher education post-school, especially those students from particular deprived castes/tribes and women, making the space of learning inaccessible for them. Recent news reports state how the UGC is mulling to move towards an online learning system. This is a dangerous step towards formally establishing the huge disparities within the education sector. The National Education Policy released by the present Government in 2019 itself encourages privatising the public funded education sector. It has not even been past two months when the universities across the country were demanding for free education and were demanding to save public educational institutes, in such a condition, online learning will be a disaster.
India is home to the 2nd largest number of internet users in the world, basic internet accessibility in our country is marked by immense regional and social disparities. In a situation wherein even in times of normalcy academia is largely inaccessible to many owing to a history of accumulated disadvantages, thousands who come to universities and colleges from rural hinterlands where there are hardly internet facilities are going to face the brunt of such exclusionary policies. Online assignments, lectures and evaluation will not only pose a systematic exclusion on students, but will also lead to increasing dropouts. Many families lack the finances and the means to support the tariff for internet services, especially during these economically troubled times. Students coming from economically weaker sections will be pushed into household activities to support families during such economic crises, making their exclusion from such online modes of education all but inevitable.
With the lockdown imposed, a lot of students from marginalised sections, including women, and first generation learners, will be pushed to fulfil household chores and to support their families, as is happening to Paras, which is why it is important for us to understand that knowing that millions of Paras are existing in this country, an inclusive policy framework is important to bring back these young minds to education post the pandemic.
Also, the NCRB in its ‘Crime in India – 2018’ report notes how of all recorded cases of rape, over 8% were perpetrated by the family members. Several studies also show us how in the absence of public-financed relief, children, especially females, are left more prone to trafficking, exploitation, and abuse. This disheartening statistic reflects how many female students are now faced with a situation wherein they are stuck in their houses on a continuous basis leading to a related increase in incidences of violence against them. Reports in this regard indicate how within 11 days of the implementation of the lockdown, the Childline India helpline received over 92,000 SOS calls seeking protection from violence and abuse. The trauma and systemic violence inflicted thus in light of the lockdown would have to be effectively dealt with if we are to evolve a comprehensive strategy to enable the attainment of educational objectives.
Today’s reports from the national capital shows how students have been asked to pay rent by the landlords or else they have been threatened to leave the houses amidst the health crisis. But, whom should we blame? The necessity is addressing the basic issues of the students- to ensure them basic facilities, ensure no academic loss, all kinds of financial and psychological support. It is important to realise that education has to become a tool to empower each and every citizen of this country. Every policy taken today has to ensure that it doesn’t exclude students coming from different backgrounds.
At this juncture, what is important is a clear directive on the part of the government to every educational institution and the release of guidelines to stop creating more chaos and rather support each and every individual. It is important for the government to take policies in the favour of students, understanding their physical and mental well-being. A hasty and ill-thought decision knowing the digital divide in the country is going to affect inter-generational educational attainments immensely.
What is most important is to include all stakeholders in the decision making process. The way ahead will be difficult, educational institutions will have to see reforms, but let that be only to make our education sector more equitable, accessible, and scientific, rather than to open it only to those who can afford it.
Aishe Ghosh is the President of the current Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) and a researcher at the School of International Studies.
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