92% Students Lost At Least One Language Ability During Pandemic: Study
Ninety-two per cent of children on average have lost at least one specific language ability from the previous year across all classes, according to a study by Azim Premji University. These specific abilities include describing a picture or their experiences orally; reading familiar words; reading with comprehension; writing simple sentences based on a picture.
The study further found that an average of 82% of children have lost at least one specific mathematical ability including identifying single and two-digit numbers; performing arithmetic operations; using basic arithmetic operations for solving problems; describing two or three-dimensional shapes; reading and drawing inferences from data.
The study was conducted among 16,067 children in 1,137 public schools and covered 44 districts across five states – Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.
The report emphasizes that the extent and nature of learning loss are serious enough to call for action at all levels, through supplemental support, in the form of bridge courses, extended hours, community-based engagements, and appropriate curricular materials.
“Covid-19 has battered India and the world. The loss of the educational year compounded by the phenomenon of academic regression is one such significant effect. This deep cumulative loss has to be confronted. Most importantly, when schools reopen, teachers have to be given time to cover this deficit and be provided with other support. A carefully synchronized set of measures across states will be required. Including eliminating vacations, extending the academic year well into 2021 and perhaps beyond –depending on when schools open, reconfiguring the syllabus, realigning college sessions, and more.' said Anurag Behar, Vice-Chancellor, Azim Premji University.