Rural Children’s Experiences of Learning from Home

Bharti Foundation’s flagship Satya Bharti School Program (started 2006) provides free quality education to underprivileged children in rural India, with a special focus on the girl child. The holistic approach of spreading education is designed to ensure that the students become educated, responsible and self-reliant citizens. Equal emphasis on scholastic and co-scholastic education ensures that students acquire 21^st Century life-skills and are ready to not only face but lead the future.  

Students from our schools from different states have shared their emotions and experiences of learning during lockdown. Here’s a mixed bag of innocent emotions and reflections from children of Satya Bharti Schools:

“When I first heard about the lockdown, I was very happy, but within a few days of staying home, I started feeling bored and also, started worrying about my studies getting interrupted. After that, with the help of my parents, I started studying from my school textbooks at home.  Soon enough, my class teacher created a WhatsApp group and added my parents’ mobile number in it. Then, we started attending virtual classes.

“Our teachers send lesson videos every day; we even get homework. This helps me in my studies a lot.  If I face any difficulty in the homework, I call and ask my class teacher.

“These days, I get up a bit late in the morning and help out my mother in household chores.  My father goes to the field to harvest wheat. I accompany him and try to help him as well. However, I miss my school friends and teachers. I hope that our school reopens as soon as possible so that I can meet my friends and teachers.”

Jhanvi, Class V

“Studying at home using e-tools is like praying at home as one prays in a temple. Online learning in many ways is eliminating inequality. As a girl child, I am not much exposed to technology. I was sparingly using mobile phone, but now since my classes are online, I am fully exploring the online world. I am able to use YouTube and other apps for my studies, which enabled me to think differently.

“Studying online has made me even more disciplined. It has improved my thinking, decision making, problem solving and time management skills. I can feel the whole world is in my hands through technology and I feel empowered.”

Mehakdeep Bawa, Class X

 “Sometimes, I do not feel good staying at home. I miss my friends and I feel an urge to meet them. Despite all that, what is important is that I am still studying all the subjects from home, just like we did in School. My father helps me to understand the lessons. Wherever I have doubts, I get in touch with my teacher. During this period of lockdown, I have learnt to operate mobile phone as well. I study through the mobile phone; sometimes, I even play games on it for a while. I also learnt about the vegetable harvesting from my father, who works in the field. Even though I am sad about the schools being closed, I do find online learning different and in its own way, enjoyable as well.”

Ankit, Class III

“Ever since the lockdown came into effect, I have been feeling bored at home. I feel so sad because no one can go outside and no one from outside can come in. I miss my school and my teachers. I miss my friends very much because I used to play, enjoy, chat and joke with them. We, sometimes, quarreled but also pacified each other. Even though I don’t play with my friends anymore, the good thing is that I am getting help from my teachers in studying. I have greatly benefited from the online lessons. Each topic is very well explained and the teachers clarify each question thoroughly. My parents also help me a lot. I am thankful from the online classes because my parents are working hard to get me educated and despite the lockdown, the studies did not stop.”

Hasina Mehar, Class IV

 “It does not feel good staying at home during the lockdown. I miss my friends very much. We used to study as well as enjoy during our classes and that felt good.

“However, in spite of the challenges, we have now started studying online. When the teachers share questions online, I answer them and it feels good to know my studies are not being compromised. My sisters, brother and I study and play together. I also help out my mother in her daily chores. But I miss my class mates.”

 Basanti, Class VIII

“As the nationwide lockdown is going on, I study as well as do household chores at home but I don’t get to meet my friends. Although I cannot go to school, my teachers are still tutoring me by organizing online classes. However, I and my friends used to study together in school, have lunch together and also used to chat and laugh, which I miss very much.” 

Seema Muchendra, Class VII

“All of us are locked own at our homes because of Coronavirus outbreak. My school and the marketplace, everything is closed down temporarily. When the lockdown period began, it was really difficult to pass time at home but now, we are used to staying, studying as well as playing at home. Now, I wake up in the morning and use my brother’s phone to learn the lessons and take up the assignments that my teachers share with me and my whole class. Sometimes, I also listen to music or watch films on the phone. I sleep for around 2 hours in the afternoon and spend the evening playing with my siblings. Now, I have become used to staying home.”

Shivansh Mishra, Class IV

“Our lives were going very well. We used to wake up every morning to go to the school and in the evening, we used to go out to play. Ever since the pandemic struck us, our lives have changed drastically. Now, we sleep late and wake up late; our daily schedules have changed. Initially, we were very scared of COVID-19 since we did not know anything about the virus at all and were uncertain about the future. Now, we have started to understand the situation better. For everyone’s safety, we are not going anywhere and not meeting anyone.

“I have started helping my mother in the kitchen. My education has also resumed online. I was never exposed to technology much but now I am spending a lot of time on the phone for my online classes. For a while now, this has become a huge part of my life and till the situation goes back to normal and the schools reopen, this is how it is going to be.”

Aashu Singh, Class V