The findings of the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021 have shed light on the digital divide and obstacles students have faced during the pandemic, especially over the last two years, as they have had to navigate school closures owing to the spread of COVID-19.
The survey indicated that 77% of Class VIII students did not have a digital device at home. Similarly, 41% of Class III students, 39% of Class V students and 26% of Class X students surveyed also did not have access to digital devices.
The number of Class VIII students who said they faced anxiety and fear during the pandemic was also the highest, with nearly 94% of the students surveyed stating that they had concerns.
The survey was conducted among 126 lakh students of Classes III, V, VIII and X from 22 districts in Tamil Nadu. While the performance of students of Class III was almost on a par with the national average in language, mathematics and Environmental Studies (EVS), students of Class V fared slightly lower than the national average in the same subjects.
Nearly 19,000 teachers were also surveyed, and they indicated that around 60% of teachers handling Class III and V students indicated that they had a high workload and felt overworked.
In a pioneering initiative, the Tamil Nadu School Education Department introduced the volunteer led Illam Thedi Kalvi Scheme to bridge the learning gaps which emerged due to the pandemic.
“Going forward, the focus of the government should be on addressing these learning gaps, especially among primary students during the pandemic. Schemes such as Illam Thedi Kalvi and Ennum Ezhuthum, which will focus on building foundational literacy and skills should effectively tackle this,” said P.K. Ilamaran, president, Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Association.
Stating that the 2022-23 academic year would be the first one in two years that students were expected to be in campuses from the start, Patric Raymond, State general secretary, Tamil Nadu Graduate Teachers’ Federation, said the focus should move away from syllabus completion and exams, especially for students of Classes I to IX.
“When students in rural areas came back to schools after physical classes commenced, they were struggling with writing, reading and communication skills. In the coming academic year, they should be helped with this and encouraged to study and learn in peer groups,” he added.
