A Phenomenological Analysis of the Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on School-Going Children

Abstract

Objective: This paper looks at the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to affect humanity and school-going children in specific, in myriad ways even to this day , thr ough a phenomenological lens. Background: The jury is still out on whether the Coronavirus SARS-COV -2 is man-made or a natural mutation. What has been established beyond doubt is that the disease has its origins in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei province in China, in December 2019. In the first wave, the disease seemed to affect senior citizens and those whose immunity was already compromised because of pre-existing conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity . The second wave affected middle-aged with similar immunity-compr omised health profiles. While adolescents and children were relatively unaffected by the severity of the disease, their lives were definitely altered in irr evocable ways. Methodology: The authors have synthesized what they themselves have observed and experienced along with those of various subject matter experts like doctors, epidemiologists, scientists and other researchers thr ough the articles in research journals as well as other media to understand how the pandemic has affected, continues to affect and may affect school going children in years to come. Key Findings: It is clear that the pandemic, the consequent lock-downs as well as shifting to on-line learning for a good part of 2 years have robbed these children of two valuable years of growth and development both from an educational as well as from a social, psychological and emotional adaptability and maturity perspective. What is not yet clear is the health effects of the disease itself as well as the vaccination. On the positive side, school-going children seem to be more environmentally conscious and vocal about the need to leave the earth in a better state than what they have inherited. Implications:As a society, will need to continue to provide whatever support we can to help limit the damage that the pandemic has inflicted on the psyches and personalities of these children and help the recover some of those lost years. We owe it to them.