Schooling and Air Pollution

Source: The post Schooling and Air Pollution has been created, based on the article “Schooling in India in times of poor air quality” published in “The Hindu” on November 28, 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 – Social Issues

Context: Delhi’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) recently mandated schools to switch to online classes due to poor air quality. This measure, though aimed at protecting children’s health, raises critical questions about its scientific validity, practicality, and broader implications on learning and equity. The recurring closures highlight the need for a nuanced, science-based approach to balancing public health and education.

In 2024, Delhi recorded no days with “good” air quality, and in 2023, there was just one such day. Harmful health effects begin as the Air Quality Index (AQI) crosses 50, yet the threshold for severe action under GRAP is arbitrarily set at 400. Poor air quality impacts all demographics, not just children.

What are the issues associated with the online classes?

1. Learning and Nutritional Losses: Online classes disadvantage children, particularly underprivileged ones, by depriving them of school-based learning and mid-day meals. Younger children face additional risks due to increased screen time, which is contrary to recommended guidelines.

2. Inadequacy of Online Education: Schools offer more than academic learning; they provide life skills and social interactions. India’s prolonged school closures during the pandemic led to significant learning loss. A similar mistake must be avoided in the context of air pollution.

What are the issues associated with government policies?

1. Pollution effect of online classes: Many children experience similar or worse air quality at home compared to schools, where air purifiers are often available.

2. The Misuse of Mask Mandates: Guidelines recommends wearing masks for school going students. However, Universal mask mandates for schoolchildren are unnecessary, especially where air purifiers are in use. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, masks were not recommended for children under five and were optional for those aged six to eleven. Prolonged mask use can cause skin allergies and discomfort, particularly for younger children.

3. Disproportionate Impact on the Vulnerable: GRAP measures often adversely affect the poor, with wage losses for marginalized groups and learning disruptions for underprivileged children.

What should be done?

1. Keep Schools Open: Schools should remain functional regardless of AQI levels, with mitigations such as halting outdoor activities during poor air quality days.

2. Rethink Mask Mandates: Avoid uniform mask directives; instead, allow parents and children to decide based on their home practices and personal health conditions.

3. Leverage Air Purifiers: Ensure functional air purifiers in classrooms, with proper sealing of windows and doors to improve indoor air quality.

4. Avoid Over-Reliance on Online Classes: Online schooling should not replace physical classes, and hybrid models should be discouraged except in extreme cases.

5. Health Recommendations: Promote preventive measures such as regular check-ups and vaccinations, especially for children with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

6. Policy Redirection: Delink school functioning from GRAP measures; recognize that schools are not contributors to air pollution and their closure brings more harm than benefit.

Practice question:

Critically examine the implications of Delhi’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on education, particularly the shift to online classes, and suggest alternative measures to balance public health and the right to education.