Plagued by structural problems like lack of infrastructure, electricity, books, qualified teachers and clean drinking water, the condition of public schools in India was already dire before the pandemic hit. Children from underprivileged backgrounds were suffering from the consequences of an inadequate education system when exacerbating the situation, the pandemic brought with it severe disruptions to every sphere of life. The situation revealed the deep-rooted fragilities of the education sector in particular. With the mandated closure of all institutions, the education sector had to transform overnight. Along with it, the problems too have transformed.
A lack of school infrastructure has now become a lack of digital infrastructure. This shift to digital learning has brought with it a new category of divide, the Digital Divide. With all educational activities being carried out remotely, the disparity between the haves and have-nots in society is more perceptible than ever before.
The poorest students are facing challenges such as lack of digital devices like smartphones and laptops, poor net connectivity and inadequate power supply. The absence of digital infrastructure for both the teachers and students is becoming more and more evident in disadvantaged communities. As social distancing norms do not allow classes to be conducted physically, the increasing learning gap is pushing these underserved children further back. Concerned parents are trying to help their children, but can only do so much. They do not know how to operate the devices, are helpless at stopping the misuse of devices, and have the added pressure of financial strains and providing childcare and meals for their children. Many have decided to keep their children out of the education system altogether. It is estimated that missing out on school for six months would reduce pupils’ lifetime earnings by 5%.
The EdTech remodel of the education system is here to stay. It is now the new normal. What needs to be done now is to reinvent the thought process to ensure that the most vulnerable children in society get their right: their right to equal access to quality education.
