Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study

Autor: Suprakash Mandal, Mohamed S. Hasan, Parul Berry, Sangeet, Saransh Verma, Suryansh, Vishwesh Bharadiya, Tejbeer Singh, MBBS Student Research Study Group, Rakesh Kumar, Kapil Yadav, Puneet Misra, Harshal Ramesh Salve
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Vol 13, Iss 10, Pp 4486-4492 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2249-4863
2278-7135
DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_291_24
Popis: Background The Government of India undertook several measures for COVID-19 pandemic, of which school closure was one. This led to sudden shift of teaching methods from classroom-based to online mode. This study aimed to understand the effects of school closure on children during lockdown period. Methods This was a community-based qualitative study conducted in Faridabad District, Haryana, India, from January 2022 to February 2022. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) with school students of 8th standard and above and two FGDs with parents of school students below 8th standard were conducted. In-depth interviews were conducted with two school headmasters, two teachers, a Senior Medical Officer (SMO), District Education Officer (DEO), and District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO). Responses were recorded, transcribed, and reviewed to identify themes, and thematic analysis was done. Four major themes were framed—academic, physical, behavioral, and psychosocial. Results Decreased academic performance, teacher-student interaction, and distraction from the study were found in academic domain. There was reluctance to go back to school reopening. Low physical exercise, irregular sleep cycles meal skipping, and increased screen time were noticed. Limited mid-day meal nutrition was available. Increased fear, anxiety, and loneliness were faced along with an increase in household quarrels and violence. An increase in the number of child marriages was also reported. Few students had positive impacts like improvement in hygiene practices, learning new hobbies, and skills. Conclusion School closure had impact on the physical, mental, socio-behavioral, and academic aspects of school-going children. In case of similar events in the future, these impacts must be kept in mind by policymakers to achieve a balance between effective pandemic control and fruitful childhoods.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
Externí odkaz: