COVID-19 Epidemic: Impact and strategies in the education sector in India


The epidemic has severely affected the tertiary sector, which is a critical decision for the country's economic future.
Sometime during the second week of March, national governments around the country began temporarily closing schools and colleges as a way to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. Month is approaching and there is no guarantee when they will reopen. This is an important time in the field of education — board exams, nursing school accreditation, entrance exams at various universities and competitive examinations, among other things, are all done at this time. As the days pass by there is no immediate solution to stop the Covid-19 outbreak, the closure of schools and universities will not only have a temporary impact on the further education of over 285 million young students in India but will also greatly improve - achieving economic and social outcomes.

The structure of education-system and learning, including teaching and assessment methods, was the first to be affected by this closure. Only a few private schools could use online teaching methods. Their counterparts in low-income public and private schools, on the other hand, have now shut down completely because of the lack of e-learning solutions. Students, in addition to missed learning opportunities, are no longer able to access healthy food at this time and are facing economic and social pressures.

The epidemic has severely affected the tertiary sector, which is a critical decision for the country's economic future. A large number of Indian students - second only to China - are enrolled in universities abroad, especially in the countries most affected by the disease, the US, UK, Australia and China. Many such students are now banned from leaving the country. If the situation persists, over time, the demand for international higher education is expected.
The biggest concern, however, is on everyone's mind about the effect of the disease on the work rate. New graduates in India are afraid of withdrawal from job offers in companies because of the current situation. The Center for Monitoring Indian Economy's estimates of unemployment increased from 8.4% in mid-March to 23% in early April and the urban unemployment rate went up to 30.9%.

Apparently, the epidemic has transformed the centuries-old teaching model of measuring speech bubbles into technology. This disruption in education delivery encourages policymakers to look at how to conduct stakeholder ratings while ensuring comprehensive and comprehensive e-learning solutions and addressing digital divide.

A multidisciplinary strategy is needed to manage this crisis and to build a strong Indian education system in the long term.

First, immediate action is critical to ensuring continued education in public schools and universities. Open source solutions for digital learning and Software Management software should be adopted so that teachers can teach online. The DIKSHA platform, which extends to all the provinces in India, can also be strengthened to ensure access to learning for students.

Two, all-inclusive solutions to learning, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized, need to be developed. With the rapid growth of mobile Internet users in India, which is expected to reach 85% of households by 2024, the technology is enabling access to personalized education even in remote parts of the country. This can change the schooling system and increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning, giving students and teachers many options to choose from. Many ambitious districts have developed effective learning-based learning models that can be used by others.

Third, the strategies needed to prepare the higher education sector are to gain access to accessibility requirements across the globe - especially those related to student mobility and professionalism and to improve the quality and requirements of higher education in India. In addition, immediate measures are needed to minimize the impact of the epidemic on job delivery, job training programs, and research projects.

Fourth, it is also important to re-think the current delivery and teaching methods used in school and higher education by seamlessly integrating classroom learning and e-learning strategies to create an integrated learning system. A major challenge in EDTech's transition at the national level is the neutral integration of technology in India's current education system, the most diverse and largest in the world with over 15 lakh schools and 50,000 tertiary institutions. quality learning online learning developed and offered by India HEI and e-learning platforms (fastest growing). Many e-learning players offer multiple courses on the same topics with different levels of validation, methodology and test parameters. Therefore, the quality of lessons may vary across different learning platforms.

Fifth, India's indigenous knowledge is known worldwide for its scientific origins, heritage, and benefits of developing sustainable technologies and medicine. Courses in Indian traditional knowledge programs in the fields of yoga, Indian medicine, architecture, hydraulics, ethnobotany, metals and agriculture should be integrated with modern university education to teach the ultimate purpose of humanity.

In this time of crisis, a well-rounded and effective teaching practice is all that is needed to build the capacity of young minds. It will develop skills that will enhance its employment, productivity, health and well-being over the coming decades, and ensure India's overall prosperity.
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