Challenges in Education during the Period of Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study of Government Schools and Colleges in Karnataka

Abstract

The novel Coronavirus pandemic has caused major disruptions in the field of education throughout the world. The deadly virus hasn't stopped at national borders. It has led policymakers to introduce large-scale modifications to allay forced changes caused by cancellation of physical classes, disruptions in internal assessments and interludes in students' learning process. A vital aspect to recognize here is that these interruptions may not be short-term issues. There will be long-term consequences in the social, educational, pedagogical and academic frameworks and the structure of schooling and learning. For today's students, the coronavirus burst means a huge loss of learning time, with likely ramifications for their schooling and careers in the years to come. One of the most poignant challenges the governments all over the world faced during the pandemic was whether to close down all educational institutions, thereby causing academic cessation, or to keep them open to allow students and other members of academia function normally. Online education and home-schooling were some of the possibilities available at hand. Both of these alternative methods had a major role in subverting the social life of children. Reports also specify that there was a huge impact on the productivity of working parents. The article takes into account the plight of students studying in state-run schools and colleges of the southern state ofKarnataka. It also attempts to throw some light on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats pertaining to alternative arrangements made by educational institutions during this grave health crisis. It includes suggestions for policymakers on how to deal with unexpected challenges they are now forced to grapple with.