Current Education and Mental health of the students are being covered in light given the Covid19 outbreak has heavily affected the lives of every section of the society as people were asked to self-quarantine themselves for the prevention of the spreading of the virus. The lockdown had a serious impact on the mental health of people which led to psychological problems among the people. It resulted in people suffering having stress, sinking into depression and being overly frustrated. Here are all about the current education & mental health crisis.
Education is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes through various forms of learning. It can take place in a variety of settings, including schools, universities, vocational training institutions, and online platforms. Education is crucial for personal development, socialization, and economic progress. Education can be divided into different levels, including primary, secondary, and tertiary education. Primary education is typically the first stage of formal education and usually starts at around age five or six. Secondary education follows and typically includes middle school and high school. Tertiary education includes post-secondary education such as college, university, and vocational training.
A mental health crisis refers to a situation in which an individual is experiencing severe emotional distress, a sudden change in behavior, or a loss of the ability to function normally. It can result from various factors, including trauma, stress, mental illness, substance abuse, or a combination of these. Mental health crises can take many forms, including suicidal thoughts or behavior, panic attacks, psychotic episodes, severe depression, and substance abuse. They can be triggered by a range of factors, such as major life events, financial problems, relationship issues, or a lack of social support.
Impact of cOVID-19
Emergency protocols were implemented to restrict all the unnecessary movements from the public as the coronavirus outbreak led to an unprecedented crisis in public health. Educational, as well as various other public sectors, were closed and people had to manage their work/education through the medium of the internet. More than 32 crore students in India, that is, both at the college/university and the school level have been affected by the current situation. Students have come out forward on social platforms and have shared their mental health statuses.
The stress and frustration the current situation has brought upon them have psychologically impacted and disturbed their mental well-being of students. It is recorded that there was a heavy change in the daily routine of students including lack of adequate activity, disturbed sleeping patterns, unbalanced intake of food and at odd hours and extreme addiction to social platforms.
Education of the students:
Due to the shutdown of all educational institutions, students are encouraged to take online classes which had replaced conventional learning. It as reported that globally over 1.2 billion students are out of their institutional sectors and have been learning and getting educated by online sessions. Teaching had shifted on the digital platforms due to the drastic and distinctive rise in e-learning.
Lectures and notes are sent via online platforms to the students. But not every student has the privilege to attend these online classes and study through them. Many of the students struggle through not having either internet or adequate gadgets needed for online study. A heavy number of students have protested and started a petition against conducting online examinations on the behalf of the students who were not able to study through online sessions.
Mental Health:
Students are under a lot of pressure owing to the current situation. Due to being under immense strain, increased levels of stress was recorded among them. Students are falling into anxiety, depression and are having pessimistic thoughts. Their concerns and worries about their health and that of family and friends also contribute to their condition sinking them even deeper. They’ve been dealing with lack of concentration, difficulty and disruption in their sleeping patterns and occasional mood swings.
There is also an excessive increase in the usage of social media which either acts as a positive or negative coping mechanism. Their troubles in education is also a part of their falling mental health. Students of unprivileged backgrounds who can’t attend online classes and the skepticism regarding the examinations are also not giving them a mental rest.
Students are in great need of support during the prevailing situation. Educational institutions should reach out to their students via online platforms and mental health awareness hotlines should be set so that more people in need could reach out for help. Pamphlets should be published and more coverage should be given by the media. So that the message of declining mental health and its prevention be heard by all. Whereas, colleges should listen to the problems and suggestions of students so that this problem could also be solved. They should decide by keeping in mind the students who are unable to attend online classes because of genuine reasons.
