My Expressions

Rules for Post Submission

Being an Economics student, I have always been fascinated by the concept of trade-off and rationality in decisions that we take. Sometimes we make one person better off at cost of making someone else worse off.
But does that help when times are tough, uncertain and you have multiple stakeholders?
As a Fellow I have always kept kids at the center as they are the heart of the learning process and the foundation for all the structures we build.

The pandemic has definitely widened the learning gap and more so for the kids of low-income schools, but a careful examination of scenario has led me to focus on a few positive aspects. No, I am not being too altruistic but I will take you through the how and what of the situation.

Let’s talk about Brijesh, a kid from my classroom who used to stay with his father in Mumbai while his mother used to be in village in Uttar Pradesh. This is about pre-covid time. He used to visit his village only twice a year- during Diwali and Summer Break to meet his mother and spend time with her. There was a trade-off to be in Mumbai, attend school and study or go to village and work in a farm. The tradeoff seemed tough to measure not only in terms of progress he could make while he studies in Mumbai but taking into account the qualitative aspect of not being with his mother during his crucial years of childhood. He is in 7th grade now.

Much of educational inequity stems from financial inequity, as you have limited resources and thus you need to make a choice which is never a win-win. Brijesh is one of the many kids who has no option but to stay alone at home after school while one of the parents has to be outdoors for work, almost the entire day and the counterpart is in village.

It becomes difficult to understand if human connection and emotional attachment for these kids is a privelege or a right they constantly have to fight for, in midst of poverty and helplessness.

Now imagine the plight of that kid being stuck during Covid in Mumbai. There is no source of income for father, there is no school running to keep the kid close to his social circle or focused enough to ignore the things going around. Luckily, Brijesh at present is in village with his entire family.

In nutshell, COVID has given the chance for that kid to be closer to his mother, not only providing him with emotional stability, love and support when he needs it the most but also ensuring that he doesn’t give up on his aspirations and creativity which makes a kid- a kid.

Definitely learning is hampered for kids but when times are hard it is the connection that helps which comes from people you find solace in. When I talk to parents, there are mixed opinions, on school reopening but the crux remains: safety can never be compromised at any cost.

I am hopeful, that from now on I do not ever use the reason of COVID or any other pandemic out there, to signal on the topic of privelege vs right. I aspire for a future that holds for every other kid like Brijesh, where there are options and possibilities with no reason for anyone to survive based on chances.

  0  (Please login to give a Curious Clap to your friend.)