Schools have remained largely closed for 1.5 years even as adults go to work, malls, and social gatherings each time a wave recedes. If asked about opening schools, at one end of the spectrum are parents who say—“I am worried about the third wave targeting children” or “We worry about kids bringing infection home to elders” or the ultimate conversation-stopper “Do you want my child dead?” At the other end of the spectrum are parents who say—“Why are schools closed if everything else is open?” or “Our children need to regain their lives.”
Despite the spectrum of voices, a few things are clear. One, extended school closure is causing immense harm to children, especially in the early years. For our youngest children, long-term denial of social play could potentially be a precursor to social isolation, loneliness, and serious developmental issues. For millions of poor children, existing inequality is exacerbated because online learning is inaccessible. The government recently acknowledged that three crore students across 23 states do not have digital devices and over 15 crore children, i.e., a third of India’s population in the 3-22 age group, are out of the education system. Even with access, several first-generation learners are unable to understand lessons. There are abundant reports of learning losses and health problems. School closures also affect nutrition and safety—child abuse, labour and marriage are on the rise.
Second, several doctors have opined that while children are equally susceptible to infection, they have natural protection from severe disease. Hospitalisation and mortality are rare in children; post-COVID complications such as the multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) are also rare and if detected on time, easily treatable.
Third, despite school closures, sero-surveys in India show that children’s exposure to infection is comparable to adults. There is only one way to explain this—kids may have stayed home, but adults went out, met others and brought infection home.
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Fourth, regarding schools driving transmission, worldwide studies find no difference in transmission rates between areas where schools were open and where schools were closed. What this means is—a school-going child is no more likely to infect a grandparent than an adult who has been to the office or to a bar. If the logic behind school closures is protecting children and elders, we should be equally worried about adults bringing infection home.
Fifth, COVID-19 vaccination for all children is still some time away, and not a pre-requisite to opening schools. The priority should remain ramping up adult vaccination.
Sixth, the virus is here to stay. The influenza virus is still with us 100 years later. There will never be zero risk or zero COVID-19 cases. In life, there is a risk associated with everything; the effort must be to analyse and minimise risk. Masking, distancing, and avoiding unnecessary outings are key. No one has stopped taking trains or planes for fear of accidents!
If authorities have allowed 100-people weddings and extended operating hours for markets and restaurants, why can’t they permit a few children in a classroom with COVID-19 protocols? After an expert committee recommended opening of Delhi schools in a phased manner, why did the Chief Minister of Delhi say that he cannot risk children’s health? The irony is he made this statement while inaugurating a revamped movie theatre where adults and kids are free to spend a few hours! Why are governments so hesitant to permit reopening of schools? Because children lack a vote, a voice. As parents, we are their voice. Unfortunately, parents have differing risk assessments and, therefore, no cohesive voice unlike a shop owners’ association or a spa lobby.
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Some parents assert schools are unsafe; others say markets and restaurants are optional, occasional exposures. Some say if schools are optional, ‘pester power’ will compel parents to send their children to school. However, an occasional risk is also a risk, and parents who believe school is unsafe should simply say ‘no’—exactly as they would to drugs or alcohol. A recent MoneyControl poll on Twitter—which, given the medium, would involve parents who can facilitate and supplement online education—showed that 48 per cent of the 850 respondents would send their children to school given a choice. More telling, 90 per cent of the 800,000 parents polled during parent-teacher meetings conducted in Delhi government schools are in favour of reopening. Why are these parents’ voices going unheard?
Keeping educational institutions closed does not serve any purpose unless adults also stay home. The need to reopen government-run schools is most urgent—here, the mandate is not merely education, but more fundamentally, social mobility and social justice. Governments should rise above political divides for the sake of this country’s future and permit schools to reopen with due regard to local levels of infection and prioritise pre-primary and primary classes where foundational skills and social play are being lost. Given varying priorities and risk assessments among parents, no reopening can be mandatory; choice, either way, is key.
Dharini Mathur (@DhariniMathur) is a New Delhi-based lawyer, and her 5-year-old started school on a computer. Tanya Aggarwal (@tanya_aggarwal1) is a New Delhi-based lawyer, and her 5.5-year-old has spent more than 50 per cent of his school life on a computer. They are alumnae of the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, and Harvard Law School. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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