Bengaluru: Homebound because Covid-19, only 15% of government school children in rural areas engaged in learning during school hours, while others are busy with cellphones or watching television, a survey has been found.
Grass Grass Movement and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM), Mysuru-based public policy research and advocacy, conducted a survey of 400 children in the Rural Area of Mysuru District a month ago to measure the impact of the pandemic.
Children are grade 5 to 10 students.
The aim is to know how children spend their time at home because schools have been closed for more than a year due to pandemics.
According to the survey, only 15% of children reach several forms of learning during school hours, including via TV, online class or reading.
This reaches a maximum of 23.8% between 6pm and 9pm.
While 29% of children watch TV or use cellphones for entertainment during school hours, this number touches 42% at night.
Other main activities are playing indoors or outdoors: 27% of students play during school hours.
The survey results came when there was a request from education to reopen the school for the lower class.
The Chairperson of the Minister of Bumavarj Bommai announced on Monday that the decision would be taken to reopen the 1-8 class at the end of the month.
The percentage of higher students (5-7) students who dedicate learning is significantly lower than in high school.
During school time, only 10% of boys and 16% of girls were involved in several forms of learning activities.
Among higher primary students (grade 5 to 7), girls spend more time on TV and cellphones for entertainment than boys during school hours (each 10am – 17:00) – 31% each each.
On the other hand, while 34% of boys said they played during school hours, 29% of girls said they did it.
While 10% of boys in this bracket are engaged in agricultural activities, 11% are occupied by housework.
Among girls, lack of agricultural activities while almost a quarter (24%) are involved in domestic work.
Reopen school for all grades: “answers to all problems reopened school for all grades.
If it cannot be done, the state government then must see the launch of the community learning center with the help of local communities, instructors or NGOs.
This is the most important part of life They where they have to develop the foundation and wasted in watching TV and playing on cellphones, “said Basavaraju R Shreshta, executive director of Graam and the main investigator of this study.
Only 15% of rural children are involved in learning during classrooms
