Pandemic takes a toll on kids with special needs
Lockdown has thrown these children's education back by years, and it will take years to reach where they were before the pandemic, says director of Sparsh Special School
Hyderabad: Covid-19 has significantly affected the education of children worldwide. However, one group that is more affected is that of children with special needs. Not only did the lockdowns and schools being shut down disrupt these children’s daily routine, it also derailed their studies.
Swathi Kureti, who runs the school ‘Special Friends’ for such children in the city says that being locked up in the house with only their parents has increased the anxiety levels in these kids.
“These children need not only attention but a lot of care too. Being in a class regularly with kids their age, makes them feel good. They learn, play and make friends just like other kids. They are accustomed to structured schedules and learning environments. The sudden unwarranted alterations in the learning process during the lockdown thus have increased the burden on the child as well as their parents,” she shares.
Swathi’s school works with special children who come from underprivileged background. “In most other cases the mother stays at home full time for the child. For houses with poor financial status, that is not an option. Both the parents have to work in order to run the house. Such children rely heavily on schools to take care of them during daytime. However as the schools are closed, many of them are alone and scared at home during the day.”
Unfortunately, not only the mental health, but the education of these children is also a major issue. While online learning quickly became the default solution globally because of school closures, it was not the most accessible choice for these children.
Panchmukhi, director, Sparsh Special School, says, “We have about 400 children in Sparsh who are all struggling in keeping up with what they learnt previously. I have a student, who is 11-year-old and was able to write a whole sentence, if dictated, on his own. But now, as he has been out of touch with the syllabus, he has forgotten most of it. So we have to start teaching him the alphabet again. This is the story of many. The lockdown has thrown these children’s education back by years, and it will take years to reach where they were before the pandemic.”
Sharing a few tips about keeping these kids engaged, Swati says, “Mothers have a crucial role to play. Play with your children and don’t leave them alone. Make them participate in small household chores. Ensure they study regularly, and if you can start teaching them more. You can also narrate them stories and sing with them.”
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