COVID-19 Impacts on Education Sector & Importance of Education Technology amidst this Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be one of the biggest challenges humanity is facing in the current century. If we are to even overlook the mortal threat humanity is facing due to the health complication it presents, which is not possible to be overlooked, the lockdown that is being imposed all over the world in order to put social distancing in effect is proving to be calamitous for us as well. The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy estimates unemployment shortage from 8.4% in mid-March to 23% in early April. The schools, industries, and offices, etc. are suspended till unforeseen future, consequently, humanity as a whole is incurring a lot of damage due to this pandemic.

Global Impacts of COVID-19 on Education Sector

According to UNESCO, close to 60% of the student population in the world is suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many manufacturing-based industries are shutting down and as a result, the economies of countries worldwide are slowing down. The greatest impact though is being sustained by educational institutions like Universities, Schools, and Coaching Classes, etc. Students who are to be receiving education on a regular basis for the whole academic year are instead of staying at home. And although nothing can replace the daily teachings one receives at a School/University, the need of the hour is to find a way to teach the students in a way that is conducive to the current COVID- 19 pandemics.

Converting the COVID-19 Pandemic into an Opportunity

The current predicament is not only impacting the students but the teachers and the staff as well who are looking at either wage cuts, or no wage at all. Therefore, such educators are looking at the loss of livelihood. It is our responsibility to look after the needs and wants of not only the students but the teachers and the staff as well, and to make sure that some form of working goes on under the lockdown situation.

Humanity being an adaptive species has overcome a lot of potentially extinction-level challenges that are presented to it. And similarly, humanity is preparing to tackle the situation in current times as well with as much resilience as humanly possible.

The following are some of the ways in which both the students, teachers and the institutions themselves can ensure uninterrupted schooling and guidance to students.

Making Use Of Technology

If the current situations were imposed in an era sans the internet, mobile phones, and the technology, the damage to humanity would have been far too severe. Thankfully, in today’s day and age, most of the day work has the potential to be translated pretty efficiently to a digital platform. And many companies have already taken initiative, with companies like Amazon encouraging work from home for their call centers even before the pandemic situation arose.

Approaching Reliable Learning Platforms

Education is one such field that can translate as well on the digital medium, the recent success of various online-based learning portals shows that e-learning is the main liberator for both the students and the teachers when it comes to providing education. Therefore, students can utilize the availability of apps like YouTube to ensure learning and teachers also can use apps like Zoom and Skype to interact directly with students.

Such E-classes shall be seen as being within the work of the teachers and therefore, ensure that teachers are provided their salaries accordingly. The Staff and Teachers have families too therefore, it should be ensured that their livelihood is not severely hurt due to the lockdown situation.

Postponing some of the Major Exams

Current conditions make it impossible for institutions to hold examinations, from board examinations to competitive examinations. On 19 March, the University Grants Commission urged universities and schools to postpone exams till March 31, afterward the board exams conducted by CBSE and ICSE boards were then later postponed till July 1st. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of the students, the postponement of such exams is inevitable.
But in order to ensure that students don’t lose their command over the subject and the syllabus they need to regularly sharpen their claws as well. Therefore, students should be regularly tested through the help of Mock Tests and Online Test Series. EduGorilla provides many such mock tests for competitive exams and board exams as well that institutions can utilize to test the performance of their students.

Reopening Classrooms after Lockdown

Although e-learning and mock tests are the need of the hour for sustainable education, it is imperative to reopen the schools with caution. Lockdown conditions will begin to relax at a steady rate soon enough, thus, it is the responsibility of the institutions to ensure that the campus is safe. Institution Management can ensure that by sanitizing the campus and deploying safety measures like social distancing, face masks, and regular handwashing as well.

Technology Driven Learning as a New Normal

The reopening of classrooms shall be viewed as the continuation of the e-learning that was provided to the students during the lockdown period. And institutions shall not hesitate to return back to e-classrooms given that the lockdown conditions return. E-classes shall be seen as an asset that should be permanently included in the study curriculum of the schools as well.

COVID 19 pandemic is a challenge for all of humanity. The only way human species can brave this is together. The current crisis shall be viewed as an opportunity to find better ways to enhance learning outcomes. Education is not only an essential commodity but also the right of each and every human being. Therefore, the disruption in education exacerbates the loss that humanity is suffering in these troubling times.

How EduGorilla Can Help Students 

EduGorilla is an intensive learning platform that offers the best mock tests and online test series for more than 1,200 exams. Right from competitive exams to entrance exams along with covering major school-level exams, job-oriented exams, and placement papers, EduGorilla’s mock tests and online test series are the best in terms of reliability, quality, and of course affordability by the candidates.

Let’s see the importance of EduGorilla’s online test series:

Conclusion

The importance of digital learning has increased tremendously over the passage of time and the current COVID-19 pandemic is also accelerating it. We together can convert this crisis into an opportunity to enable innovative and practical learning which is easy, effective, and of course efficient.