Covid Impact on Children's Education: A Case Study of Punjab, India

Abstract

Covid-19 has had an unforgettable effect on the world and disrupted the whole of society. It has a major effect on the health system of the society which disrupts the economic system as well. Resulting in a disruption in the normal life of the people. Sudden lockdowns and restrictions on mobility have made sudden changes in the society. To curb the spread of COVID-19, social distancing and lockdown also followed in India. This causes a serious effect on the education system as shuts down all schools, colleges, and universities. The new system of online education was initiated to tackle the situation. Thus, the present study has a main objective to understand the problems and challenges faced by parents and children with this new norm.  For this, the data was collected from 100 households through a semi-structured interview schedule from the Bathinda district of Punjab. The study found that there was a shift of schools from private to government after the lockdown because of shutdown of the economic sector. Various parents faced economic crises and low wages that caused non-affordability of school fees and other expenditures. Parents faced serious setbacks and disruptions in their daily routines also. Similarly, children have become addicted to phones and the internet. Children started watching YouTube and cartoons that hampered their education.