Introduction
One of the most notable effects of the COVID pandemic on the education system is the closure of schools. In this case, schools worldwide were closed indefinitely because of the spread of the coronavirus. There were lost opportunities in the education sector because of the time that children and students had to spend at home. Such school closures brought considerable disruptions to the education system across the world. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the school calendar indefinitely, leading to mental health issues among the students, teachers, and parents. The schools during the epidemic were affected mostly by mental and psychological health challenges among the teachers and students.
How the COVID-19 Affected the Education System
The COVID pandemic affected the education system because schools were closed en masse. Such closures brought about considerable disruptions in the education system across the world (Gloster 4). Emerging evidence demonstrates that schools worldwide were affected, from low-income to high-income countries such as the European Union, the US, Canada, and Australia. The epidemic increased inequality in the education system and learning losses. In reducing and reversing the long-term negative consequences, most countries resorted to introducing and implementing learning recovery programs once the pandemic was gone (Ma et al. 4). When the pandemic was at its peak, many countries in all parts of the world closed their schools, affecting millions of students globally. The situation was very abrupt, which forced teachers and other school administrators to adjust because they were not prepared for the transition. As a result, most schools were forced to build some emergency response mechanisms and other remote learning systems.
One of the most notable impacts of the issue of COVID on the educational system is the introduction of remote learning as students could not attend physical classes. Therefore, virtual teaching methods became the order of the day and very prominent. However, the emergency distant learning had one limitation: it was difficult to have personal communication between students and teachers (Gloster 3). Therefore, some students found it limiting to learn remotely without the presence of teachers in physical classrooms where they could ask questions. Broadcasts became very prominent where students would be taught virtually or remotely. However, some countries were innovative in initiating other methods to enhance the remote school experiences. Some of the measures put in place were to use the post office, telephone, emails, and social media to boost the distant way of teaching students.
How the COVID-19 Affected the Mental Health of People
Most schools during the pandemic became centers of mental health issues as more and more people were affected by the epidemic. In this case, teachers and students were all affected by the changing school environment that they had not been used to before. The COVID pandemic presented many issues to parents, educators, students, and other school stakeholders. Those students already struggling with mental health challenges were the most affected and vulnerable to the new normal in schools (Gloster 1). Having mental and psychological issues increases the vulnerability to the nee changes. When schools were closed, most children or students began suffering mentally, and those who had psychological issues were depressed. Some of the issues that increased the mental health issues among students include isolation, guidelines of physical distancing, closure of schools, and other unexpected changes to their new lives.
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered psychological problems among school-going children because of disrupting their school calendar (Gloster 4). After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, most students began showing depressive symptoms. For example, most children aged between 7 and 15 could not embrace online education, which became the new way of teaching students in a virtual environment (Ma et al. 1). Hence, most students were not comfortable with the new instructional method. Although online education was the solution to the COVID-19 pandemic among the students, it also became a challenge through which they developed psychological challenges.
On the other hand, most schools did not have some intervention mechanisms to help them cope with the psychological consequences of the virus on children. Some of the notable sources of psychological health included school closure, fear of infection, and isolation that impacted the education system, leading to mental and psychological health issues (Ma et al. 5). Furthermore, some other students were traumatized, leading to Post Traumatic Disorder.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the consequences of the COVID infiltrated every aspect of society and people’s daily lives, and the education system was not spared. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about some adverse consequences in the school system. In addition, the pandemic led to mental and psychological issues among students, teachers, educators, and other education stakeholders. The pandemic eroded some considerable gains that had already been made in the education sector for a long time. The pandemic brought about some drawbacks because of the control measures that came along with the virus. On the other hand, school closures and the feat of infections became some of the sources of psychological issues among the student and teacher population. For example, most students could not embrace the new online or virtual teaching method leading to mental health issues.
Works Cited
Gloster, Andrew. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health: An International Study. PLOS ONE, 15 (12), 2020.
Ma, Zhongren, et al. The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak on Education and Mental Health of Chinese Children Aged 7-15 Years: An Online Survey.BMC Pediatrics, 95, 2021.