COVID 19 is the biggest pandemic of recent times. Not only it has affected us physically but it also affected us financially, mentally, socially, etc. and it also had a very big impact on the education system throughout the world.
As the pandemic is still not over and new COVID waves are coming up, we are still not done with this disease. In all this time, the internet has played a vital role. It’s true that we were already using the internet a lot for pretty much everything but still many people were not ready to accept the fact that the internet is not a luxury anymore. It’s a necessity as everything we do requires the internet.
Internet worked as a blessing as it has helped millions of people around the world in many ways. Internet service providers like Spectrum now provide services even in the rural and remote areas, and many people are getting education by enrolling themselves in the virtual education system only because of the availability of the internet.
The virtual education system is much more flexible than the traditional education system as you are not bound to be at a specific place or at a specific time. But there are many disadvantages as well. COVID has affected our lives in many ways and the education system is one of those sectors that has been affected really badly.
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Effects of lockdown
Source: euractiv.com
Due to COVID 19, a strict lockdown was implemented all over the world and schools were closed in 188 countries all over the globe. People had to quarantine themselves in their houses, no one was allowed to go outside without a mask, and people had to follow the SOPs given by the government. Due to the closure of educational institutes, the students had to stay at home. It had a negative impact on the students as it wasted their precious time.
Homeschooling and online classes
As the schools and other institutes were closed due to COVID, parents had to home school their children so that they can learn something. Some education institutes started online classes so that the students can study at home.
The online system isn’t as effective as the traditional education but many people have started enrolling in virtual education system because its more effective and flexible. A lot of students appreciated the quality of education given in the online classes.
Financial issues
Source: medium.com
The pandemic has affected the financial condition of the whole world. Many things have become expensive due to this issue. The fees of the educational institutes have increased because of the lockdown.
Educational institutes have made providing education a kind of business. Students are suffering due to a lack of good education and a higher amount of fees. There is a lot of pressure on the parents of the students as well due to increased fees and a decrease in their income due to the pandemic. The parents of the children who lost their jobs due to COVID are affected badly because they have to manage other expenses as well as the educational needs of their children.
Career opportunities
This pandemic has affected businesses and companies as well. Students are very much concerned about their careers. Student visas are not being issued these days so the students are waiting for the situation to get better. Students who want to study further are forced to stay at home due to the current situation and the developing fear of COVID in people.
There are multiple source of earning if you have internet. There are different platforms like Fiver and Upwork where you can make any account and work as a freelancer. Many students are taking care of their college expenses by working online.
Quality of education
Source: halifax.citynews.ca
Due to lockdown, the quality of education has decreased but with time as students and faculties are getting used to te system, the quality is increasing day by day. Online classes aren’t as effective as the physical ones because the interaction is not like it used to be before the pandemic. The career of the students is at stake due to the current situation. Some of the students of different grades are being promoted to higher classes without exams based on previous records. There are many areas where the educational institutes need to work but we are going in the right direction and soon we will get the best online education.
Lack of physical activity
Source: opticflux.com
As per the government guidelines, gatherings are not allowed so the younger generation has nothing to do but to stay at home. Children cannot go out to play with friends like they used to. They are forced to play indoor games, which is making them less active. They eat more food out of boredom and do not do as much physical work as they used to do which is very dangerous. Lack of physical activity makes their minds slow as well. Their routine is getting slow and all they do is stay at home so they do not even take their classes seriously.
Most people in the pandemic has spent most of their time on social media applications. Netflix and online gaming has made kids and even adults lazy.
Excessive use of mobile and computer
Students have nothing much to do in the lockdown so they have indulged themselves in playing mobile games and they watch more TV. This is not only bad for their future as they are wasting their time but also bad for their mental and physical health. Students are taking online classes so they spend most of their time on computers or mobile phones. They are losing interest in their studies because the online system has no check and balance like the physical classes.
Source: helpguide.org
Social gatherings are not allowed because it can cause the spread of the virus but it has mentally affected the younger generation. They used to have a routine that included extracurricular and social activities as well but it is not possible for them during the pandemic. A lot of students are going into depression because they are stressed out and mentally disturbed.
Summing it up
Many people took COVID as an opportunity but for many people, it was no less than a disaster. Our education system has been affected really badly due to this pandemic. It will take us some to recover the damage. Internet was the only technology that helped us out throughout this pandemic. Those who didn’t have an internet connection had been through a lot.
As the COVID is not going anywhere, anytime soon, make sure you have a reliable and high-speed internet connection that helps you in graduation.
