PROBLEMS AND COPING STRATEGIES REGARDING E-LEARNING AND HOME-SCHOOLING OF CHILDREN AMONG THE PARENTS DURING CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS AMIDST COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A CROSS SECTIONAL INDIAN STUDY

Introduction: During the closure of schools amidst Covid-19 pandemic, the education system had to switch on to the e-learning/distance learning and home-schooling in order to ensure the continuity of education. It was a big challenge for the parents, children and schools. Aim: To explore the problems and coping strategies regarding e-learning and home-schooling of children among the parents amidst Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Using snow ball technique the parents having school going children and willing to participate in the study were enrolled. Total 138 parents participated and data was collected by google form. Results: Parents had to face various problems such as financial, technical, personal, health and psychosocial problems during home schooling. To cope up with the situation parents had to purchase a new internet plan for better connectivity, cut-off their expenses, borrowed money and gadgets from others, adjusted their duty hours and also trained their children or grandparents for operating the gadgets to facilitate e-classes. They further reported that to cope-up with the indiscipline among children they used to set time limits to use e-gadgets, sometimes scolded them, cut down their privileges and provided positive reinforcement for the acceptable behavior of the children. Conclusion: During the Covid-19 pandemic, the parents had to shift to online mode to ensure continuous education for their children which resulted in many problems for them leading to psychological stress.