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WORKING AROUND THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC
ON CHILDREN’S EDUCATION
The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented The following insights and suggestions thus came
challenges and crises and brought life to a up in the research survey, to pave the path for a
standstill across the globe. Children were more secure future for children:
particularly impacted and their experience of
childhood and education was altered. • Relax the eligibility criteria for child-protection
benefit packages.
Tata Trusts commissioned a study to understand
the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the lives and • Conduct rights-based, inclusive sustainable
education of children in four states – Jharkhand, interventions to ensure children are protected.
Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh – where a
community-based intervention for children was • Ensure adequate allocation of resources for
rolled out in July 2021. The study was undertaken education and implementation of the Right to
by Council for Social Development (CSD), New Education Act.
Delhi, and was concluded in May 2022.
• Strengthen teacher recruitment, training and
The study not only assessed the effect of the school infrastructure.
pandemic on the education of rural children and
their lives; it also delved deeper into the issues of • Revisit the national education curriculum
disruption of education due to school closure. The framework to address learning gaps.
study also reports on the initiatives of various
stakeholders, from teachers to administrators to • Recognise digital technology as a tool and not a
policymakers to non-government actors, and replacement for face-to-face education.
recommends future directions for them. Of several
findings what was startling is that 30% of parents • Make village councils, school management
cited reduction in literacy and numeracy skills of committees and community members, active
children, while 72% of students didn’t even have participants in school education.
access to a digital device, the primary requirement
for regular schooling online. 25% of children
reported an irregular supply of take-home rations
by schools and Anganwadis.
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