Introduction:

The coronavirus pandemic has shuttered educational institutions across the globe. Closure of schools, colleges and universities, shutdown of routine life of students and teachers, disruptions in education and the education ministry remaining incommunicado, have created an unprecedented situation and thrown many unexpected challenges to administrators, educators, teachers, parents and students.

Body:

Impacts on education due to COVID-19 pandemic:

• school and university closures will not only have a short-term impact on the continuity of learning for more than 285 million young learners in India but also engender far-reaching economic and societal consequences.
• The pandemic has significantly disrupted the higher education sector as well, which is a critical determinant of a country’s economic future.
• A large number of Indian students—second only to China—enroll in universities abroad, especially in countries worst affected by the pandemic, the US, UK, Australia and China.
• Many such students have now been barred from leaving these countries. If the situation persists, in the long run, a decline in the demand for international higher education is expected.
• The bigger concern, however, on everybody’s mind is the effect of the disease on the employment rate. Recent graduates in India are fearing withdrawal of job offers from corporates because of the current situation.
• The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy’s estimates on unemployment shot up from 8.4% in mid-March to 23% in early April and the urban unemployment rate to 30.9%.

Challenges posed by Online Education:

• India is far behind some developing countries where digital education is getting increased attention.
• Democratization of technology is now an important issue, comprising internet connectivity, telecom infrastructure, affordability of online system, availability of laptop/desktop, software, educational tools, online assessment tools, etc.
• Census 2011 tells us that 71 per cent of households with three or more members have dwellings with two rooms or less (74 per cent in rural and 64 per cent in urban areas).
• According to National Sample Survey data for 2017-18, only 42 per cent of urban and 15 per cent of rural households had internet access, and only 34 per cent of urban and 11 per cent of rural persons had used the internet in the past 30 days.
• It is true that many traditional educational institutions (TEIs) (both public and private) have substandard infrastructure. But these data suggest that the majority (roughly two-thirds) of students are likely to be worse off at home compared to any campus.
• The impact of smartphone capabilities and stability of net connectivity on OE pedagogy also needs to be examined.
• But it is as a social rather than physical space that the college or university campus plays a critical role. We have long ignored the vital role public educational institutions play as exemplary sites of social inclusion and relative equality. In Indian conditions, this role is arguably even more important than the scholastic role.
• the public educational institution is still the only space where people of all genders, classes, castes, and communities can meet without one group being forced to bow to others.
• Women students, in particular, will be much worse off if confined to their homes by OE.
• Poor are disconnected and irrespective of background, some children cannot relate to the online classroom, and many more are losing out on midday meals.

Online education as a supplement to Traditional Educational Institutes:

• OE can play as a supplement to on-site education.
• It can use content and methods that are hard to include in the normal curriculum. It can put pressure on lazy or incompetent teachers.
• It can provide hands-on experience in many technical fields where simulations are possible.
• And it can, of course, be a powerful accessory for affluent students able to afford expensive aids.
• But it is fraudulent to suggest that OE can replace public education, the only kind that the majority can access.

Conclusion:

To summarize, education must continue. Students should keep learning. The lockdown period should be productive. Educators should think creatively and introduce innovative ways of learning. In a country where access to the Internet and high-speed connectivity is a problem, and the digital divide is an issue, it is important to address the challenges. Those who are involved in education planning and administration should give a serious thought to reducing the digital divide in the country and popularize digital learning along with traditional education.