In 2020, the education sector in India took a big beating due to Covid and impacted the progress made so far in ensuring universal literacy. Even a developed state such as Tamil Nadu felt the impact of classes going online. Now, just as that academic year is ending and the next is set to begin, the country is witnessing a second wave, with case numbers spiking across states.
As per UNICEF estimates, over 25 crore Indian children have been negatively impacted by the closure of schools. A UNESCO report finds that the pandemic has further widened the existing inequity in the education sector across the world. The ramifications these developments could have on the Indian economy in the long run are of serious concern. As uncertainty looms over yet another academic year, policymakers must act fast to prevent loss of time and bridge learning gaps. To begin with, India had adopted a mix of TV, radio and online classes for students in the past year.
However, a recent study by UNESCO terms these as “imperfect substitutes” for classroom learning. This is primarily because such media, except online classes, disallow interaction. According to a National Statistical Organisation study, until 2019, only 15% of homes in rural India had internet access. The penetration increased to 42% in urban areas. Though the figure is likely to have gone up in 2020 as the internet became an essential commodity, the reach is abysmally far from universal. In this context, it’s important for policymakers to work towards drastically improving internet access.
Tamil Nadu, a state often accused of propagating the freebie culture, made remarkable progress by issuing 2 GB free data to all college students during exam time. If the right to free and compulsory education must be upheld, then policymakers must ensure free or subsidised access to the internet for students until the pandemic is contained. While online classes will not solve the problem at hand, they will ensure that learning continues. Investing in free internet for the poor is an economic necessity.