Covid-19 and students life in Khansama Upazila, Dinajpur District, Bangladesh

Abstract

The Covid-19 has had drastic effect on educational sector around the world. This study took an attempt to explore how far the Corona pandemic affected the lives of rural and municipal students of Khansama Upazila, Dinajpur District, Bangladesh. The study collected data by using questionnaire interviews from 198 respondents who were 9 to 18 years old. The study found that the Corona pandemic hit the educational lives of rural pupils more compared to municipal ones and a remarkable number of rural students were afraid of returning to their studies than those of municipal ones. According to the survey, municipal students were more aware of Corona infection than rural ones. It also found that students-families of both areas had financial crisis during Corona pandemic which created a rift in the families that affected the mentality of the students. It also found that rural students involved more in income generating activities to support their families than their counter ones, and many rural parents married off their school-going daughters to reduce their financial crisis. Long time market closure result of this pandemic, made a shortage of daily necessities in both areas which affected the nutritional needs of the students. Again, the confinement of the students in their home during the lockdown isolated them to their surroundings that ultimately affected their mental health.