Back To School For Health And Learning

By Author: The Akshaya Patra Foundation
Total Articles: 116
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The pandemic and the resulting lockdown devastated billions of lives across the globe. Many faced losses - physically and psychologically. What became more evident, however, was the socio-economic gap between communities.

Amongst all, children from underprivileged backgrounds were the worst-hit. While widespread digitalization of education may have made up for the loss in privileged homes, it turned the lives of the underserved children upside down.

Exposure to internet either increased abuse among some children or the lack of digital aid kept them away from learning. Despite the support from multiple NGOs, children from developing countries were ripped of access to socialization and learning from the environment.

On a brighter note, schools have started reopening. Thus, the situation calls for a joint effort to bring the affected children back to school. Let’s take a look at how schools will help reverse the damage.

- Socialization and confidence building

Social skills are known to boost confidence, self-esteem, independence and resilience toward new situations in children. They foster ...
... empathy, teamwork and language skills in the initial years of their growth.

Sudden withdrawal from school due to the lockdown affected children’s social life. This significantly reduced their confidence levels and overall psychological wellbeing.

When children get back to school, interaction with teachers and peers will motivate them to learn, play and retain concepts by application and revision.

- Learning from environment and outdoor activities

Children learn a lot from their surroundings where they observe and apply concepts learnt at school. The results are noticeably amplified if the observation is guided by the teacher.

During the lockdown, children lost access to such interactions with environments at school as well as outside of it. Additionally, school closure kept children from participating in outdoor activities like sports and the field of arts. It constrained children’s access to play and physical contact which left children confused, anxious, and frustrated.

As the schools reopen, children will be able to engage in outdoor activities and learn through play. Interaction with friends will enhance their emotional well-being and positive attitude towards school and education.

- Events, competitions, and activities

Scholastic and non-scholastic events allow learners to find a practical use for their skills. They help children explore their highest potential and build confidence.

After returning to school, participating in competitions will enable children to find fields of their interest where they could excel and possibly, build a bright career.

- Promoting equality
2020 reports show that one in seven children grow up in poverty in OECD countries (Source). After the lockdown, the situation of financially weak families worsened. They could not stock up on food, health and hygiene products, etc. which invited more diseases like diphtheria, measles, and polio (Source).

Reduced access to medicines and food weakened the physical and mental health of children from such families. Furthermore, the absence of digital devices and internet deprived them of learning and interacting with peers.

With schools reopening, children will receive the necessary interaction as well as nutritious mid day meals to improve their immunity to diseases.

- Meals for children

Before the pandemic, economically backward families hardly had access to one meal a day. As a result, sending children to school became a challenge.

With the implementation of mid day meal programme by the Central Government in 2001, parents agreed to send their children to school as it reduced the burden of feeding them.

Akshaya Patra is an NGO in India that works on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP model) to provide daily nutritious meals to Government and Government-aided schools. Since 2000, the Foundation has served 441 mid-day meals across 14 states and 2 union territories.

The Foundation has been recognized for running the world’s largest NGO-run school lunch programme. The organisation registered under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, follows nutritional guidelines stated by MHRD and the Supreme Court of India.

A donor’s single donation to Akshaya Patra can feed a child for an entire year. Currently, Akshaya Patra is feeding 1.8 million children from 61 kitchens in India.

- Final thoughts

The pandemic and the resulting lockdown is sure to have a long lasting impact, especially among the communities with low socio-economic backgrounds. Anxiety, disturbing school routines, and changes in diets need attention and timely intervention from the Government and its people alike.

Returning to school will establish a routine in the lives of children that are crucial to maintaining sanity among any individual. Interaction with teachers, friends and the surroundings will help in this process that will support learning and retention of knowledge.

Hence, a collective effort by people and NGOs in India in collaboration with the Government will rebuild the overall health of the affected children. When you donate to feed the children with Akshaya Patra, not only do you ensure their right eating habits but also their regular attendance at school and highly-productive careers.

I'm a social volunteer, lives in Bengaluru. I do work for NGOs to make society better. Currently I'm working for The Akshaya Patra Foundation. It's an NGO in India which provides wholesome nutritious mid-day meals to government school children to end classroom hunger. https://www.akshayapatra.org/