Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study
Background The Government of India undertook several measures for COVID-19 pandemic, of which school closure was one. This led to sudden shift of teaching methods from classroom-based to online mode. This study aimed to understand the effects of school closure on children during lockdown period. Met...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_291_24 |
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| author | Suprakash Mandal Mohamed S. Hasan Parul Berry Sangeet Saransh Verma Suryansh Vishwesh Bharadiya Tejbeer Singh MBBS Student Research Study Group Rakesh Kumar Kapil Yadav Puneet Misra Harshal Ramesh Salve |
| author_facet | Suprakash Mandal Mohamed S. Hasan Parul Berry Sangeet Saransh Verma Suryansh Vishwesh Bharadiya Tejbeer Singh MBBS Student Research Study Group Rakesh Kumar Kapil Yadav Puneet Misra Harshal Ramesh Salve |
| author_sort | Suprakash Mandal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
The Government of India undertook several measures for COVID-19 pandemic, of which school closure was one. This led to sudden shift of teaching methods from classroom-based to online mode. This study aimed to understand the effects of school closure on children during lockdown period.
Methods
This was a community-based qualitative study conducted in Faridabad District, Haryana, India, from January 2022 to February 2022. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) with school students of 8th standard and above and two FGDs with parents of school students below 8th standard were conducted. In-depth interviews were conducted with two school headmasters, two teachers, a Senior Medical Officer (SMO), District Education Officer (DEO), and District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO). Responses were recorded, transcribed, and reviewed to identify themes, and thematic analysis was done. Four major themes were framed—academic, physical, behavioral, and psychosocial.
Results
Decreased academic performance, teacher-student interaction, and distraction from the study were found in academic domain. There was reluctance to go back to school reopening. Low physical exercise, irregular sleep cycles meal skipping, and increased screen time were noticed. Limited mid-day meal nutrition was available. Increased fear, anxiety, and loneliness were faced along with an increase in household quarrels and violence. An increase in the number of child marriages was also reported. Few students had positive impacts like improvement in hygiene practices, learning new hobbies, and skills.
Conclusion
School closure had impact on the physical, mental, socio-behavioral, and academic aspects of school-going children. In case of similar events in the future, these impacts must be kept in mind by policymakers to achieve a balance between effective pandemic control and fruitful childhoods. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8b6f3a11ff6b45d4a0c26765fc122431 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2249-4863 2278-7135 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-8b6f3a11ff6b45d4a0c26765fc1224312025-08-20T02:12:29ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632278-71352024-10-0113104486449210.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_291_24Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative studySuprakash MandalMohamed S. HasanParul BerrySangeetSaransh VermaSuryanshVishwesh BharadiyaTejbeer SinghMBBS Student Research Study GroupRakesh KumarKapil YadavPuneet MisraHarshal Ramesh SalveBackground The Government of India undertook several measures for COVID-19 pandemic, of which school closure was one. This led to sudden shift of teaching methods from classroom-based to online mode. This study aimed to understand the effects of school closure on children during lockdown period. Methods This was a community-based qualitative study conducted in Faridabad District, Haryana, India, from January 2022 to February 2022. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) with school students of 8th standard and above and two FGDs with parents of school students below 8th standard were conducted. In-depth interviews were conducted with two school headmasters, two teachers, a Senior Medical Officer (SMO), District Education Officer (DEO), and District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO). Responses were recorded, transcribed, and reviewed to identify themes, and thematic analysis was done. Four major themes were framed—academic, physical, behavioral, and psychosocial. Results Decreased academic performance, teacher-student interaction, and distraction from the study were found in academic domain. There was reluctance to go back to school reopening. Low physical exercise, irregular sleep cycles meal skipping, and increased screen time were noticed. Limited mid-day meal nutrition was available. Increased fear, anxiety, and loneliness were faced along with an increase in household quarrels and violence. An increase in the number of child marriages was also reported. Few students had positive impacts like improvement in hygiene practices, learning new hobbies, and skills. Conclusion School closure had impact on the physical, mental, socio-behavioral, and academic aspects of school-going children. In case of similar events in the future, these impacts must be kept in mind by policymakers to achieve a balance between effective pandemic control and fruitful childhoods.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_291_24covid-19impactqualitativeschool closurestudents |
| spellingShingle | Suprakash Mandal Mohamed S. Hasan Parul Berry Sangeet Saransh Verma Suryansh Vishwesh Bharadiya Tejbeer Singh MBBS Student Research Study Group Rakesh Kumar Kapil Yadav Puneet Misra Harshal Ramesh Salve Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care covid-19 impact qualitative school closure students |
| title | Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study |
| title_full | Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study |
| title_short | Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study |
| title_sort | impact of school closure during covid 19 pandemic on school going children in a rural population of haryana a qualitative study |
| topic | covid-19 impact qualitative school closure students |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_291_24 |
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