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Experts warn that prolonged distance learning has seriously worsened the physical and psychological condition of children: many children are obese and have become even more dependent on smart event screens.
Come back with relief and fear
Antanas Apynis, 35, from Vilnius, brought her two children to Vyturys primary school on Monday morning after a three-month break. The man says that during this time it was difficult for his children to find a place to work, to concentrate, there was a great lack of communication with their classmates.
“It was difficult to work at home and find a place for them. I’m glad they were able to go back to class, communicate again, because there was a huge lack of live communication both with the teacher and with their peers. It’s a bit of a relief, because it’s a return to a more normal and routine routine, not just sitting at home after closing, ”he told BNS.
In all, the vast majority, more than 350 students, returned to this elementary school on Monday. According to Daina Valackienė, temporary director of Vyturys school, only one of the 17th grade did not agree with the contact education and tests by the cumulative method, their education is continued remotely, several of them also lack several students .
“There are all kinds of fears, both among parents, and we are not one hundred percent calm. But we say: if we can contribute at least a part to how to return to that normal and safe life, we want to contribute and we are happy for it. Most of the parents are happy, although there are some who question the totality of the measures, so those who do not want to return have not done so. But the work done by the teachers and the administration has been excellent, I think we have done well, ”he told BNS.
The school community was reviewed with families for COVID-19 on March 11, a positive response was received from the student’s family, everyone else was able to return to school.
Children celebrate “September 1”
Rasa Adomavičienė, who teaches third graders, says that she welcomes the children to school with joy, and some of them even come with flowers.
“They say: teacher, everything is like September 1. We really waited, motivated to return and the fact that both the children and the parents really wanted to. I always say that the self-creation of children’s personalities takes place only in a living relationship, a child has to see, feel. And seeing for three months only the heads of the children … because people communicate not only by phone, but also by looking at the child’s eyes, body language. Then you understand what is being lost and you can help, ”said the teacher interviewed by BNS.
R.Adomavičienė claims that it also adds self-assurance, the fact that she has already received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, some teachers have already been vaccinated with both doses, part of the COVID-19 has gotten sick.
Virginija Gruodienė, a music teacher, agrees with her and says that both teachers and children, as well as their parents, are tired of distance education.
“I find it very positive, I’m glad it’s happening. Because in distance lessons you think completely differently, you don’t sing, you don’t have rhythm, you learn completely different things, easier things, which you wouldn’t do in a normal lesson anyway. Children suffer a lot, they want to communicate, especially the little ones, they want to play, sing, make jokes, “he said.
Expert: Openness would help prevent an educational crisis
Primary education is being resumed in two more schools, and more than fifty more institutions in other municipalities expect similar solutions in the near future. However, most students will continue to study from home for now.
At the request of the World Health Organization (WHO), researchers carry out a study on the lifestyle and health of students every four years. Kastytis Šmigelskas, a professor at the Lithuanian Health Sciences University (LSMU), who coordinates this research in Lithuania, says that after living with a pandemic for a year, the Lithuanian government’s intentions to loosen the screws of the education system are a positive step. .
According to him, research in Israel has shown that the reopening of schools has led to an increase in the total number of COVID-19 infections, but not an increase in hospitalizations and deaths. Therefore, according to the scientist, opening the system according to the recommendations of experts can help avoid a crisis, which some non-governmental organizations, such as UNICEF, describe as a “catastrophic impact on humanity.”
“It was said out loud, but that catastrophic impact is likely if the shutdown were long-term, two to three years, and permanent. Various researchers, UNICEF and other organizations related to children highlight the importance of children growing up in a socialized and closed environment where they can interact both with their peers and with the elderly through interactive learning (…). From the data on the impact on young people, in addition to the impact of the opening of schools, so far it seems that with sufficient infection control at both the school and state levels, this is a very important alternative, ”said K. Šmigelskas.
Physical activity was reduced by a third.
According to him, the detailed results of the impact of the quarantine on students will have to wait. However, the first small-scale pilot studies show a trend that the physical condition and psychological well-being of students significantly deteriorated during the year of the pandemic.
“Physical activity has dropped to a third – it wasn’t good enough, and so far only 18 to 20 percent were young people who were physically active enough every day.” Now it has fallen to about 12 percent, a little more, another less. This is associated with an increased risk of being overweight and obese, according to international peer research, ”the researcher told BNS.
The latest data from the Institute of Hygiene shows that during the 2019-2020 school year, the proportion of overweight students increased by 1.42 percent. point and amounted to 23.57 percent. – this is the most significant change in the last four years. In total, the proportion of overweight students has increased by 2.31 percent since 2016. period.
According to the Institute, the passive leisure time of students has increased significantly in four years: on average, 25 percent spent four or more hours in front of screens in 2020. Fifth to ninth grade students, while in 2016 there were 19.4 percent of them.
Difficulty sleeping, mental health
K.Šmigelskas emphasizes that the significant increase in the time spent by students due to distance education has a negative impact on their attention and psychological state: fatigue increases, sleep rhythm is disturbed and the general mental health of children is impaired. deteriorates.
“Electronic life, spending more time on social networks near computers and telephones, also determines that later on he goes to sleep. This is not largely compensated for even by the fact that children get up much later. “This is cause for concern, because the quality of sleep is also important for the metabolism: people who do not get enough sleep, even on the same diet, are more likely to be overweight, obesity and infectious diseases due to the loss of immunity “. “said the expert.
He noted that the increasing leisure time children spend in front of screens “contributes significantly to a passive and sedentary lifestyle, reduces opportunities for physical activity.”
“General mental health, mood, life satisfaction, happiness: these indicators also tend to worsen when working remotely. Yes, there are children, and not units for whom it is even better, but most say that the condition it has deteriorated: up to a third of children say they have additional psychosomatic symptoms, ”said K. Šmigelskas.
According to the LSMU professor, preliminary data from qualitative research shows that students talk a lot about constant stress while studying on the computer, the problem is that there are no more usual breaks between lessons, as well as the gap between school and school. home, lessons. home space. Also in surveys, students identify peer relationships as a problem, that basically only the possibility of remote communication remains.
After the announcement of the second quarantine in Lithuania on November 7, most of the students switched to distance or blended learning, and primary school children were sent home from mid-December. Currently education has been resumed in four primary schools, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė says the government on Wednesday intends to consider a plan to return all primary schools to schools.
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