Page 55 - Tata-Trusts-Annual-Report-2021-22
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OVERVIEW education in India. To ensure that learning continues
despite school closures during the second and third wave
of COVID-19, and supported by the belief that
The COVID-19 pandemic forced nationwide school
communities would remain key to building back better
closures, causing widespread learning disruptions for
post-pandemic, the Trusts took the following actions.
millions of children in India. The sudden, but rapid shift
Community-level education interventions were
from in-person learning to online modes of instruction
implemented for children in villages through Associate
further exacerbated pre-existing inequities in education,
Organisations and partners at community learning
especially for students belonging to rural and marginalised
centres and libraries. This was achieved with the help of a
communities. This also pushed many children out of the
dedicated group of community volunteers, who
school system, further deepening the digital divide.
supplemented these e orts with online learning,
wherever possible.
The high number fatalities, especially during the initial phase
of the pandemic, rendered many children at risk on account
These classes also doubled as much-needed hubs for
of them becoming orphaned and consequently losing
social activity and human interaction, key for fostering
access to a social support system, care,
learning and development
protection, and education.
among children. Centres
Studies conducted across
located in remote areas
India showed a spike in
o ered a range of
learning losses, especially
activities, including library
foundational learning skills ,
activities, games, and
due to prolonged school
teacher training, which
closures. In addition to
ensured the continuation
learning losses, the absence
of education despite
of regular schooling also
school closures, and also
left a lasting impact on the
helped stem further
health, nutrition, and overall
learning losses. With the
well-being of children, as
intensity of the pandemic
many of them had earlier
waning in terms of the
relied on school meals as a key source of daily nutrition.
severity and number of infections, and despite a third
Studies have also documented that education disruption
wave occurring in January 2022, state governments
significantly limited the ability of many parents to work
geared up to safely re-open schools across states, with
and increased the risk of violence against women and girls,
Anganwadis also re-opening in most states by the end of
in many cases resulting in a growing incidence of
this financial year. The Trusts’ teams extended support to
early marriages.
the re-opened schools and Anganwadis by focussing on
children’s attendance, regularity, tracking out-of-school
With no end to the pandemic in sight, the resumption
children, as well as supporting children to plug the gaps in
of in-person learning was delayed multiple times during
learning at schools and in communities.
FY 2021-22.
This further reinforced the Trusts’ Education portfolio’s
focus on addressing issues of equality and quality in Azim Premji Foundation, 2021; The School Team, 2021
ANNUAL REPORT 2021-22 48