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As schools have finally reopened for Class 1 and above on Tuesday, and classes for pre-nursery students begin next month, many parents in Nagaland heave a sigh of relief as their children will now be able to enjoy their childhood again after almost two years besides getting back to classroom learning. On the other hand, many will be concerned about the health of their children as the situation is yet to return to normalcy. It’s natural for parents to have such mixed feelings. But considering the learning loss caused by the closure of educational institutions over the last two years, it is pertinent that students get back to classrooms. To effectively address this issue, corrective measures should be taken after assessing the magnitude of damage the pandemic has done to children’s education and well-being. Governments should invest more on education to tackle an imminent long-term loss. Community involvement is also necessary to narrow the learning gap and limit the possible impact on productivity of today’s young minds.
It is important to not only think but respond proactively in-order to successfully combat any pandemic. Just talking about the digital divide and various other problems arising out of the health crisis is not enough. It is clear by now that school reopening can be short-lived. That’s what the world witnessed during the outbreak of the virus and the subsequent waves. School gates have been opened again with the Covid situation improving but it will be just a matter of time before the gates are shut again if the people continue to lower their guard as in the past and refuse to take Covid vaccines. Sadly, everyone will suffer because of the carelessness of a few. To avoid closure of schools in future, people should continue to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour in public spaces and get their jabs. This is the most pragmatic approach to reduce the learning gap.
Educational institutions and educators play a vital role in helping young minds face the challenges ahead of them. Concerted efforts should be made to ensure that the ongoing pandemic doesn’t affect their productivity in the future. Extra focus should be given to those struggling to cope with their studies due to the change in the mode of education. This will prevent students from dropping out of school. It is also important to acknowledge the sacrifices of the educators who have come out of their comfort zones to ensure that education continues. Understanding their problems and acknowledging their efforts can go a long way in mitigating the learning loss. In a nutshell, governments, educational institutions and parents should take stock of the impact of the pandemic and develop strategies to reverse the damage caused by it. The well-being and education of students should be the primary duty of the nation as they are the future agents of change.