Pandemic has hit learning, numerical abilities of children, says Rukmini Banerji of Pratham Foundation

In States that we work or places where we have conducted surveys, the basic reading and numerical abilities of school children have substantially reduced since the pandemic brought classroom learning to a halt for a prolonged period. We saw this and noted down the findings in our Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for West Bengal, Karnataka and some other States. 

As schools open, teaching should focus primarily on the existing learning abilities of children rather than grade-level curriculum. Moreover, it is welcome that the Centre is planning to carry out a national survey of Class 3 students to assess the extent of this learning loss.

Some of the States are also doing things in their own ways, depending on age and are devising strategy accordingly to ensure that learning deficiencies are handled. For instance, in Punjab they are organising a workshop for mothers whose children are in the pre-primary grades. Maharashtra is organising school readiness melas while Haryana is carrying out training programmes from anganwaadis.

I am not a health expert but closing down schools would be a bad idea. It will further hamper learning abilities. Many experts believe that school re-opening should have happened earlier, and I believe so too. A recent World Bank and UKAID report advocated for schools to remain open.

I do not see hybrid learning to be a long term solution. This digital learning is more of a city-based phenomenon and really does not work in deep interiors of a State.

For example, follow up on assignments and home tasks are something that has been completely overlooked in the online learning system. Even in case of the hybrid model, it does not take into account the learning capability differences of students.

Here, I would like to say, the SMS-and-call follow-up model that Pratham adopted was far easier to understand learning capabilities. So we would try and send messages to students or their parents with different tasks, and then make calls to follow up on the status of those tasks.

However, not all is bad in the model. The online model of teaching have helped teachers upgrade their capabilities, ensure better teaching modules to those who wished to experiment. So instead of a one-size-fits all training model, where many people just go through the motions, one can look at the online one for improving teacher training.

It is too early to say at the moment. Opening up is happening and how much of economic recovery has come back into family income is something one needs to watch out for in the long term. As of now, the enrolment numbers at government schools have held on. 

In a way, yes. But then again, whether all enrolled are actually coming to attend classes has to be observed. Here again, we have seen that interventions by district administration or school authorities — to go to home of students and convince the parents to send children back-to-school — have gone a long way in improving attendance.