Since December 2019, the whole world has been against a deadly war against a virus that has no cure up to date. The people who are suffering from this newly formed Covid-19 virus are not only those who got confirmed for the virus or the loved ones of them. To be locked inside your own house, to be restricted from our normal lives and happiness due to the virus is not an easy thing to be patient about.
Lifestyle of several Maldivians were forced to change after the first Covid-19 case was confirmed on 15th April by the Health Protection Agency. Not being able to step their foot even outside of the house, unless for emergency purposes, people had to fit in themselves inside the four walls of their house and make them their closest companion. These changes are not just experienced by people of a certain age or gender, it is affecting the lives of everyone including students.
It was simply a Mid-term break for the students studying in the greater Male’ area. But their break has further extended more than any student had expected due to the lock-down, causing great disturbance in almost every activity of a student’s life.
Despite the lock-down enforced in the city, the Education Ministry along with teachers are working effortlessly to avoid having disruptions in the studies of the youngsters in Maldives. Therefore, Teleclass have been organized since the very start of lock-down in Maldives to provide students with education as much a possible. While keeping these classes itself is costly, having to teach students via online is bound to create distance between students, and most importantly, between teachers as well.
According to a primary school teacher of Male’, while it’s necessary for students to have internet for the online classes, students who are unable to afford internet tend to miss several classes due to this very reason. Although the government provides a certain amount of free data every month, most of the time, it is not enough to last a whole month due to the extensive amount of online class duration.
A school is considered as the second home of students, and the teachers and peers, as a second family. Students are connected to their schools in a similar manner. As a teacher once mentioned, school is an environment where students are able to escape and reach for help about the unwanted circumstances that a student faces in their home. Sadly, the current situation gives most of the students no choice but to remain silent inside the four walls of the house regarding these matters.
Having to be separated from their loving teachers and friends can be unhealthy for the mental health of these students as well. Majority of the students have been waiting since the start of the lock-down for the precious day, that they would be able to meet and greet their teachers and friends.
It is not only students who are facing difficulties due to the lock-down, but the teachers are as well. Teachers are not able to conduct proper practicals needed for the students to understand the subject or topic properly. Teaching in this manner has resulted in majority of the students not being able to understand their syllabus well enough to prepare for their upcoming exams. Especially, for the students who require special help from the teachers to understand the concepts.
The war we all have against Covid-19 needs to get better and stronger for reasons such as given above. If the condition of the virus gets worsen in the country, it can unfortunately refrain the students from receiving any education at all. Therefore, all students and teachers are desperately wishing for the Covid situation in Maldives to get better for the schools in Maldives to reopen and for the education to continue without disruptions. It is definitely not something that can be acceptable for the students to remain at home instead of going to school to learn and enjoy.
