Absence from school affecting students mental health

By Mehboob Inamdar

Aurangabad, June 21:

The mental health of schools children has been affected in one or other way because of absence from actual classes in the city.

It may be noted that the State Government imposed lockdown with the spread of Covid 19 in March 2020. The unlock process had begun in June 2020.

In unlock process, most of the business establishments, shops were reopened on the condition that all measures would be followed. The students from 9th to 12 attended actual classes in schools and junior colleges for some weeks.

The lockdown began in March 2021 and continued until June 6, 2021. The Government lifted all the restrictions from the city, which falls in the ‘Level-I’ category as per the parameters of unlock process. All the shops and business establishments were reopened. The permission to reopen the schools and colleges was granted but, there are still restrictions on conducting actual classes.

Psychologists and counsellors feel that the behavioural change, loss of memory, grasping power and interest in the study, poor performance, confusion about study and career’ are being reported in students between six and 22 years of age because of isolated and online learning.

They feel that if the situation continues, it will lead to a more negative impact on students. They suggest measures like allowing a child to study with his one or two friends, motivation by parents, daily exercise, sound sleep for 8 to 9 hours.

President of Psychologists Association of Maharashtra Dr Sandeep Shisode said that he had received counselling cases of children who had lost interest in the study, problem in handwriting, suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) because of online and remote learning for the past 15 months lockdown.

“In OCD, a patient is engaged in repetitive activities like washing hands, remaining awake for a long time or sleeping for more than normal timing or loss of appetite or eating too much due to anxiety. There is a rise in the number of such patients in the city. Students are unable to do a study as they studied before lockdown. These kinds of students need counselling. Parents should motivate their children and allow learning at least with one or two of their classmates or friends to reduce their anxiety and study pressure,” he asserted.

Divisional counsellor of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Shashimohan Shirsath said that change could be seen in behaviours of students who have lost their interaction with classmates, teachers and friends.

“There is a need for change in environment for students with gaps. Cases of anxiety and interest in the study are increasing because of loss of interaction, group and ground activities. In such a situation, parents or elder siblings need to teach children at home like in a classroom,” he added.