Kutra: Online classes and tuitions have become the new normal for children during this Covid-19 pandemic. But reality bites when it comes to rural pockets where parents can hardly afford to buy smartphones for their children.
Consequently, most students in rural areas are seen working as daily labourers to help their parents run families. Kutra block in Sundargarh district is a case in point.
With the outbreak of Covid-19 putting paid to offline education, children of marginal and landless farmers in various villages in Kutra block can be seen working as daily labourers.
When asked why they are working as daily wagers when the state government provides them with rice and wheat at Re 1 and the Central government is also providing free rice and wheat during this pandemic time, their prompt answer is that the governments are not giving them the money to meet the daily family expenses.
“When we were going to schools, we used to have mid-day meals. The situation is no longer the same due to Covid-19. The alternative option left for us to work as labourers. This way, we are able to help reduce the burden of our parents, at least to some extent,” some children maintained.
Many others, who were seen collecting minor forest produces during the summer, are currently seen assisting their parents and relatives in farming.
Some are also seen going to farmlands carrying food for their parents. The ongoing lockdown will is expected to end June 17. It is presently being discussed that the restrictions in the western districts of the state will be lifted.
However, it is learnt that the schools are not going to reopen any time soon. Expressing concern, locals asked what would become of the children of farmers, daily wagers and those living below poverty line who are studying in primary and high schools and some even in colleges.
However, these children are hopeful that better days are just round the corner and they will again go to schools and colleges.
PNN
