By Ganesh Bhatt

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS): Schools, which are reopening after repeated closures to contain the spread of Covid-19, are now facing the challenge to fill the huge gap as lakhs of students have forgotten basic Maths, fundamental skills of language courses and science.

Renowned academician C S Kandpal said the reopening of schools is not a routine thing as educational institutes have to start afresh. Schools cannot start from where they have left as due to repeated closures, the students are now lagging in the skill level they used to possess earlier.

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Under such circumstances, if students are assessed on the basis of previous processes or the studies are resumed from the previous level, then many students will be left behind, Kandpal claimed.

The Union government's report itself says that schools, colleges and educational institutes were closed time and again to contain Covid-19, which has widely impacted students' learning capability. Most educational institutions have shifted the mode of study to online.

The report further adds that many students don't have smartphones for online studies due to which their education is badly affected.

In the Economic Survey, it was said that the pandemic affected the education system, due to which lakhs of students suffered.

According to Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2021, the smartphone availability increased to 67.6 per cent in 2021 from 36.5 per cent in 2018.

As per the education ministry, in rural areas of the country, only 50 per cent of children have access to smartphones.

The report added that children in junior classes faced a tough time studying online as compared to senior classes.

Children have to face unavailability of smartphones and network issues too.

Centre for policy research president Yamini Aiyar said that due to being away from the schools, a huge learning gap has been reported among the students of junior classes. This learning gap needs to be bridged.

Public policy and health system expert Dr Chandrakant Lahariya said that as per AIIMS, ICMR, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, NITI Aayog, UNICEF, WHO, small children have least danger from Covid.

Closure of schools impacted learning, mental and emotional health of the children, Dr Lahariya further added.

The Economic survey added that the government faces a new challenge as school closures have impacted education continuity.

According to academicians, lakhs of students have dropped out due to school closures as proper infrastructure and resources are far from their reach.

Schools of 11 states of the country have been reopened, partially reopened in 16 states and still closed in nine states.

A decision has been taken to reopen the schools in Delhi -- for senior classes from February 7 and for all classes from February 14.