Academic toll of protests, disruption

LAHORE:The ongoing protests in parts of Pakistan, following the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan, have led to the loss of human lives and significant damage to property, which is undoubtedly unfortunate.

However, it is important to highlight that these protests also come at a high academic cost, particularly for the students. This is especially concerning because students in Pakistan are still in the process of recovering from the learning losses they experienced due to the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic related frequent closure of educational institutions and the cancellation of exams had led to significant learning losses for students across the country like other parts of the world. According to a World Bank technical note ‘Learning Losses in Pakistan Due to Covid-19 School Closure’, Learning Poverty (the share of children who do not learn to read and understand a simple text by age 10) will go up from 74 percent to 79 percent. The note presents results from a series of simulations that aim to capture the impacts that school closures in Pakistan might have on the learning levels, enrolment and future earnings of children and students,

Similarly, as per ASER’s 2021 final report ‘Measuring the Impact of COVID 19 on Education in Pakistan’ about 60 percent of children enrolled in school had spent less than an hour a day on their studies during school closures.

The ongoing protests, mostly violent, and the subsequent closure of educational institutions and the postponement of exams have created a new wave of disruption and uncertainty. For students, the prevailing situation, with the ongoing protests and potential social unrest, has an indirect impact on their learning. The environment of instability and unrest can affect students' focus, concentration, and mental well-being, making it even more challenging for them to engage in their studies effectively.

Apart from the federal board, all the nine examination boards in Punjab had to postpone the ongoing exam for which the students had prepared the whole academic year. This may sound a little awkward here but families in Pakistan do plan wedding ceremonies taking into consideration their children's exam schedule. The current situation of postponed exams adds an additional layer of complexity, as some students may find themselves caught between attending weddings and sitting for their exams once the new exam schedules are announced. Education experts believe that the lack of clarity regarding exams hinder students' ability to progress in their learning besides creating additional anxiety and stress and, therefore, they suggest that the rescheduling of exams should be the first priority once the situation normalises. And most importantly, the timing of the postponed exams is also a cause for concern. As the weather is gradually transitioning into warmer temperatures, the rescheduled exams are likely to take place during the peak of the heat wave, if not immediately rescheduled. This will pose a significant challenge for students who will have to endure extreme heat while attempting their exams. And there is no doubt such conditions can adversely affect their concentration, performance, and overall well-being during the crucial examination period.