Psychological Effect of COVID - 19 Pandemic on Senior Secondary Students

Every person's life was affected in one way or another during the COVID 19 Pandemic. It confined people to their houses and eventually deprived them of their normal mental state. It created a sense of chaos and commotion, as uncertainty prevailed. Student's education also took a deep toll as their regular routine was deeply affected as their respective institutions had to close as a precautionary measure. 

All this called for a new method of teaching as physical classes were not possible. Online classes were on the rise and more and more institutions started to adapt them. While students were getting used to the online education, what most people did not realise was that this plan of action was not going to yield fruit on the long run.

The effectiveness of online classes is very questionable, as it fails to create a healthy environment for learning. The retention of information effectively by students deeply depend on the environment that they are in. Schools provide this perfectly hence why they have been so important throughout our history. It creates the right environment for students to effectively gain knowledge. 

While the educational part of their studies were affected, more and more students started to experience mental health issues. According to UNESCO, 138 countries had their schools shut down and more than 80% of the global student population were affected by it. With all the changes in place more than 33% of adolescents reported to have experienced loneliness as they were parted from their fellow classmates and peers. Also, almost more than half of the young adult population reported being lonely and said experiencing anxiety due to the quarantine. 

Also a lot of the students reported high levels of stress and anxiety. According to AIIMS survey, the stress level reported by adolescents ranged from 12% all the the way to 88%. This has been explained with regards to the lack of socialising and loneliness.

All these issues have not been resolved completely even after regular schools resumed as they left a deep scar on the minds of these young-uns. It is time to raise awareness about these issues as mental well being is as important as physical well being. These young people are the future of the world and are responsible for all the developments that human kind is yet to experience. Let us all hope the best for these students and motivate them for a better future.

By, 

V SHARAT ADITYA

XII A