Children Struggle as Schools Go Online Due to Toxic Smog in Delhi

AFP/APP

New Delhi: As toxic smog continues to choke India’s capital, nearly two million students in and around New Delhi have been ordered to stay home, with schools closing once again due to worsening air pollution. 

The move, a yearly occurrence during the winter months, aims to protect children’s health during the peak smog crisis, but it comes with significant consequences for their education and well-being, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Harshita Gautam, a nine-year-old student from a poor family, is one of many affected by the decision. Confined to her family’s cramped home, she struggles to follow online classes on a borrowed, low-cost mobile phone.

“I don’t like online classes. I like going to school and playing outside, but my mother says there is too much pollution and I must stay inside,” Gautam told AFP. Her family’s financial constraints prevent them from buying air purifiers or taking other measures to protect themselves from the smog, and the online lessons often disconnect due to poor network coverage.

For Gautam’s parents, both of whom have low-paying jobs, the closure of schools is an added burden. “When they are at school, I don’t have to worry about their studies or food,” said her mother, Maya Devi. “But at home, they can hardly pay attention.” The school’s free meal program is crucial for Gautam’s nutrition, but her parents are unable to support her academically at home.

The worsening air quality in Delhi and its surrounding areas—home to over 30 million people—is attributed to a combination of factors, including agricultural burning, industrial emissions, and vehicle fumes. Levels of PM2.5, dangerous microscopic particles, recently surged 60 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended limit. A study in The Lancet journal attributed 1.67 million premature deaths in India to air pollution in 2019.

Although the government has implemented partial measures such as restrictions on fossil fuel-powered vehicles and mist-spraying trucks to clear particulate matter, these actions have had little effect on curbing the public health crisis.

Impact on Children’s Health

The pollution is taking a toll on children’s health, with studies showing that children exposed to polluted air are more prone to respiratory infections and developmental issues. A 2021 study in Lung India found that nearly one in three school-aged children in Delhi suffers from asthma or airflow obstruction.

Sunita Bhasin, director of the Swami Sivananda Memorial Institute school, emphasized the challenges of online learning amid smog-induced school closures. “It’s easy for the government to call for school closures, but abrupt shutdowns lead to a lot of disruptions,” Bhasin said. Many children continue to breathe the same toxic air at home, and some may even be forced to play outside due to lack of space indoors.