Parliamentary panel worries kids cognitive capabilities amid school closure

A Parliamentary panel has stated that the learning loss due to a prolonged period of school closure must have weakened the students' foundational knowledge in subjects like languages, sciences, and mathematics.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports tabled a report in Parliament. The report says, "The learning loss of more than one year would necessarily have weakened the foundational knowledge of the students especially in the subjects of mathematics, sciences and languages at school level. This learning loss is a big deficit and is likely to impair the cognitive capabilities of students."

"This might have a debilitating effect on vulnerable sections of the society like poor and rural students, marginalized sections of society and young women who might have been unable to connect to any form of digital education during the pandemic. This needs to be addressed and immediate remedial steps required to be taken," the report said.

The panel opines that school closure has put children's mental health, nutrition, learning and overall development and risk. Moreover, the committee advised that there is a need to technologically empower every school and student as even after the pandemic will subside, the digital and online mode of education is going to be the new normal mode of study.

Read more:

• Maharashtra to reopen schools for physical classes from August 17
• Delhi schools reopen for Classes 10, 12; check details here