Plight of children in pandemic times
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 22 , 2021 -

IN the initial stages of the outbreak of Covid-19, deprivation of conventional education to the young children was construed by social thinkers as an impediment to the long-term goals of socio-political progression.

Some even went to the extent of contending that rights of the children have access to education can't be ceased under any circumstance and made references to continuation of the crucial human resource development process during war times to assert their point.

Owing to intense pressure from these experts, student organisations and civil societies, the government as well as school authorities consequently conducted online classes, which enabled kids of wealthier families to sustain the learning process to some extent but deprived of the same benefits to their impoverished peers sans modern communication gadgets.

However, working parents were left in a dilemma as such online classes are normally conducted around the same time parents leave for offices.

It meant parents with single child or few siblings had to scout for private home tutors to make the young students acquainted with the new system of information technology-based education.

Hiring of professional home tutor for kid students belonging to the creamy layer of the society and clustering of middle class children in the neighbourhood is also anti-thesis to the very purpose and concept of conducting online classes which is to ensure that the students do not intermingle with their classmates in the school set-up.

Nevertheless, it is rather fortunate that there had been no reports of hired home tutors infecting the young students or vice versa during the first wave of the pandemic.

Contrary to the first year of the contagion not causing any serious harm to the children, with exception to limited numbers of children contracting the infectious disease from their working parents or through transmission from close relatives, the second wave has been unsparing for the young ones as could be comprehended from under-aged children figuring regularly in the official lists of Covid-19 positive cases.

While contracting the disease means immediate isolation of the affected child with one of the parents doubling up as the caretaker, the brutal side of the second wave is either the kid losing both parents to the pandemic or the untimely passing away of the lone breadwinner of the family.

Amid the depressing reports about children, orphaned as a consequence of the coronavirus, moving into shelter homes or benevolent immediate relatives adopting them, it is commendable that Sagolband MLA RK Imo has decided to ensure wellbeing of kids in distress in his assembly constituency.

No doubt, chief minister N Biren too announced on Thursday that the government has initiated a scheme to take care of the children who had become orphans after losing their parents in the pandemic.

As per the government policy, parentless children would be ensured education, food, accommodation and other necessities till they attain the age of 18 years.

The prevailing situation is indeed one of the most distressful times and as such both the government and the people's representatives need to consider the impact of this unusual situation on children, implement mitigating measures and make investments available to reduce the damages, both materially and mentally.