Coping with Covid-19
Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat
Covid-19 crisis since 2019 has badly hit education system across the globe especially India. The educational institutions were closed from March 2020, and consistent lockdown turned down economy as well. The gap between poor and rich has enhanced tremendously. Thus Covid-19 has affected every sector to a greater extent. We have also learnt lessons from first wave of covid19. Let us not repeat the mistakes and again go from bad to worse as the second wave of covid19 seems reemerging. Let logical steps be taken to deal with pandemic without losing grip on routine life.
There is no denying of the fact that pandemic has eaten into the vitals of society at large, but same cannot be left alone to gallop our educational institutions, especially elementary ones, who are not able to grasp in physical classrooms and how online system can compensate their foundational education.
This is agreeable point that online education has been quite helpful for college going students and students at the higher level. But what we are losing is precious childhood of little angels, who need physical care, love, and warmth to embark on the journey of their academic life.
It has been rightly said that primary education is the gate way for university education. You cannot progress at university level if you fail at primary level, as the chief resource passes through the chain of institutions to reach university and other higher institutions.
Thus in the search of gold, we must not lose Diamonds. In this turmoil of pandemic primary standard education has suffered to a greater extent. The ongoing second wave of pandemic must not force closure of schools, as nobody can predict the end of the presen pandemic.
Even recent vaccines developed like Covaxin and Covieshield have not proved effective in curbing this pandemic. So logically we cannot enforce re-lockdown and let the students to sit indoors. Also when Tulip garden and other health resorts are open, transport is normally plying on the roads, the temples of education cannot be turned into empty spaces.
Covid19 cannot infect souls in schools only. We have to live with covid19 unless and until highly effective vaccine is not produced. Besides, let us be rational in approach to deal with crisis of pandemic as taking precautionary measures can alone prevent us from infections for which guidelines are already in vogue, like – using sanitizers , wearing mask, and keeping a good distance from others.
These SOP’s should infact be made a regular feature in schools so that they function normally. Teaching , students in two shifts , while adhering to SOPS, is the key to deal with covid19 crisis. In addition to this, during sunny days, students can be taught in open space to mitigate the crisis. Thus there must not be an iota of doubt to enforce lockdown again which has not only damaged the educational system but has shattered the economy as well, which is now slowly recovering.
Government also needs to check and ensure that SOP’s are followed in letter and spirit. Closing schools is an irrational thought. Let us work while at the same time follow SOP’s. Enforcing lockdown has caused secondary problems as well like –more domestic violence, more drug addiction, more thefts, more suicides and what not.
Let us learn to live with covid19 pandemic more rationally and pragmatically, and shun the attitude to turn lives of people into half dead and to see grown up army of uneducated lot.
(The author is a teacher. He writes on social and current issues)
