Education is a powerful tool and the antidote to a flourishing nation. Education has empowered minds and taken individuals to beautiful destinations. Each and every individual, regardless of beliefs, socio-economic status, race, sex, gender etc. is worthy of the gift of Knowledge, for which the currency is Education. This world has witnessed a delightful rise in the literacy rate and the enrollment of children and young people in school and higher education. This change was much desired and very welcome indeed for developing countries like mine, Bangladesh, in South Asia and beyond, where misogyny was high due to people being unable to afford education. The Bangladeshi Government has made the decision of making public education free for those who cannot afford it, and is applicable for children and youth aged from 3 to 18.
However, despite all the progress and reforms made in my motherland and the world, all of us had to face the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic of early 2020, which is still ongoing but ever so subtle. This all meant that children had to continue their education online – or not at all in the case of those living in poor conditions. People were laid off from work and the loss of jobs of millions hampered the economies of most countries, especially of developing countries like mine. Free education was harder to provide for by the government. Even so, those who did have the luck of engaging in online education were also badly affected and I am sure many of you here are struggling (myself included) to keep up with the workload in-person school is providing, since we were not able to learn and study properly online.
Teachers have worked tirelessly to educate their learners and for some time, failed to realize the mental health struggles of the students. Of course, this is not their fault. I am sure all of you, like me, were initially motivated to keep going. After all, the school year was nearly ending and we had spent the majority of that grade offline anyways as Coronavirus was spreading. However, after that year ended (grade 7 for me), I could not bear it anymore and I know others could not either.
I was unable to focus in online classes due to this mysterious lethargy I felt. It was as if my mind and my body had gone numb and could not move forward. To fill this void, I began the unhealthy habit of binge eating to ease my boredom and helplessness, but the only thing that happened was me gaining pounds. School-age children have especially been affected, adolescents particularly. My 2 younger brothers were not seriously affected as my parents were there to support them as they were very young (7 and 6 when online classes began) and could read and write. This was not the case for other children.
The lack of motivation, coupled with the anger, frustration and resentment made me unable to focus and l am now trying hard to retain the information and bring back the love I held for studying Science. I have a few tips for those of you who are frustrated and could not focus due to whatever reason:
1) Take long walks every day. This will refresh your head and you can absorb information better, even for subjects which aren't your strong points.
2) Always tell teachers if you are having difficulty understanding/revising the material.
3) Communicate with your loved ones on what is making you feel deprived.
4) Do not consume junk food. It hinders focus and makes you lethargic.
5) Research on the Internet (via YouTube, for instance) if you are wishing for concise explanations.
This blog was submitted as part of the #LetMeLearn campaign special call for entries.
~ Dale Carnegie
