“The combined effects of the Covid 19 and the closure of schools around the world could create a learning crisis and drop out in early education during Covid-19 that could turn into a generational catastrophe,” the United Nations warned in its August 2020 policy brief.
The report said that the epidemic of Covid 19 has created the biggest obstacle in the history of the education system. This has affected 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries around the world. The closure of schools and other places of learning has affected 94% of the world’s students, and the economic impact of Covid 19 could cause an estimated 23.8 million additional children and young people to drop out of early education during covid-19 next year. The total number of children who do not return to school after the closure is likely to be even higher.
In the pre covid-19 world, 25 million children are out of school and 80 million adults are illiterate. According to the report, financial pressure has increased due to Covid 19. This could lead to a reduction in the budget allocated for education during covid-19. Therefore, financing education can also face major challenges.
Ensuring continuity of learning during school closures has become a priority for governments around the world. In this regard, information communication technology has been adopted in many countries. But the lack of digital facilities in low-income countries and the low digital literacy of students, parents and teachers are major obstacles. Education during COVID-19 has had a variety of effects on people living and children education.
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According to recent statistics, only a few countries have paid legal teachers. However, delays in payment of salaries were more common. Teaching on temporary contracts in the public sector was particularly affected because the contracts were not renewed.
In low-income countries, the majority of parents stopped paying fees, leaving a large number of teachers working in the private sector unemployed. A survey by Education International found that nearly two-thirds of the 93 teachers’ unions in 67 countries reported that education workers in private institutions were significantly affected, while teachers and support staff on temporary contracts were the most affected. In all these circumstances, today (January 24) the third International Day of Education is being celebrated all over the world under the theme “Recovery and Restoration of Education for the Generation 19”. Due to the additional challenges faced by education during covid-19.
Education is not only a fundamental right but it is a right that has a direct impact on the attainment of all other human rights. Underdeveloped countries where 30% of children do not already have this right to education. According to the Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey 2018-19, 23.55% of the poor countries’ children between the ages of 5 and 16 have never gone to school and 6.5% have dropped out of school. Now, will this number increase due to Covid-19? Will more children drop out of school due to non-payment of fees in private educational institutions than in public educational institutions in particular? Because of non-payment of arrears of fees in private educational institutions, children will not be allowed to sit in classes.
Their exams will not be taken. Their names will be cut off from the school. This is because parents are constantly receiving such messages from the management of most private educational institutions. These are the bitter realities that parents are facing during the first and second wave of Covid-19.
Who is responsible for this forced dropout of children in schools? Parents or school administrators? The position of private schools is that they have to pay salaries to their staff from these fees. If the fees are not received then how will they pay salaries to the staff and where will they pay the rent of the school building. If the services are not provided then what about the fees.
Large private educational institutions continue to receive full fees during the first and second wave of Covid-19, while medium and small private educational institutions face difficulties in obtaining fees. As a result, most of these private educational institutions have their own teachers and Dismissed support staff or slashed their salaries.
On the other hand, when people lost or lost their income due to Covid 19, they made a difficult decision not to pay their children’s school fees and at the same time withheld other children’s educational expenses. This parental action can increase the dropout rate and also reduce the new enrolment rate.
While 15% of households have computers. Yes, it is true that 94% of households in the under developed countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh have mobile phones. But (Newzoo) Global According to the Mobile Market Report 2019, only 15.9% of the population of Pakistan owns a smart mobile phone. Now, if there is only one smartphone in a household. How to take online classes if the head of the household is mostly out of the house. Or there is a smartphone at home and more children who are in different classes then what to do.
Therefore, if the children want to take online classes, first take digital voice, get internet connection and give classes to the children, i.e additional financial burden on the parents. But it doesn’t end there. Internet turtle speed is also a big problem in most parts of their countries. Now another aspect to look at is that teachers who had no previous experience in conducting online classes are being trained without any training, guidance and resources. This responsibility was assigned.
In all these circumstances, the use of radio and TV for distance education by the government is a very good move. Now, in the name of starting the new academic year, in addition to fees, vouchers for other obligations are also being sent to parents by the private educational institutions. The mid-range private school, which has a nationwide network, has sent parents this month vouchers for fees as well as annual funds, stationery charges, and next month, syllabus charges will be collected from parents. It is to be said which classes have been held so frequently in the last year that the annual fund and stationery charges are being taken again and again and the syllabus of the children is almost the same.
The term dropout means leaving school before completing any specific level of education, i.e primary, middle and high school. In addition, children should leave the institution before completing their starting academic year and not participate in the examinations of the class in which they are studying and do not get the certificate of passing the class. Or it can also be said that Students who drop out of school for any reason other than death without having to move to another school before the program is completed
In this situation there is another sector called NGOs who are working for education in underdeveloped, marginalized and poor communities around the world. They are striving to rebuilding schools, providing school bags and accessories through their back to school campagins. Since developed countries UK is also contributing towards poverty as a result of covid-19 layoffs or unjust salary deductions, people are not able to afford education for their kids. The assistance through EduCare projects is remarkable.
