Effect of COVID-19 in Bachelor level students

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as illness caused by a novel

coronavirus now called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus which was first identified

amid an outbreak of respiratory illness cases in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.  It was

initially reported to the WHO on December 31, 2019. On January 30, 2020, the WHO declared

the COVID-19 outbreak a global health emergency. On March 11, 2020 the WHO declared

COVID-19 a global pandemic. Children and young people across the world have had their lives

turned upside down by the pandemic. Almost every young person has had to adjust to dramatic

changes in their education or employment, routine and home life. Some had Traumatic

experiences during the lockdown period, while groups who were already marginalized or

disadvantaged are now likely to become more so.

According to UNESCO report, 1.6 billion children across the world have been severely

impacted by the temporary closure of the educational institutions. Among the students from

different level university students have been facing psychological crisis due to the pandemic

since the university students are known as the career building stage. Because of the compulsory

closure of schools and universities, the education system has changed to e-learning. Many

students returned to their hometown and not all students have proper access to internet. As many

universities are conducting online classes as well as exams. Many students were compelled to

drop out as they were not able to attend class or the exam, while many students couldn’t afford to

pay their fee.

 The students are facing many psychological problems and important consequences in

terms of mental health including stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, uncertainty during

COVID-19. According to the survey, the depression rate has increased by 60% during lockdown

than in normal days. “Self-isolating and social distancing was a bad habit I really worked hard to

get out of. Now I’m being made to do it and being told it’s the right thing to do. It’s very

confusing and I’m scared of falling back in to that cycle.” -survey respondent. The rise in mental

illness status has been eventually rising because the university or college has not been following

the guiding principles required. The foremost principle is bring and equity lenses to every

decision. The second is stay in touch with the students, faculty and alumni. The third principle is

to think beyond your wall. 

Purpose

1) To study about how covid-19 has affected future career of the bachelor’s students and its

effect on their mental health

Justification

COVID-19 has caused the whole world to go in lockdown. It has directly affected the

educational sector and has completely changed the paradigm of teaching in less than a year. This

new paradigm has been applied by majority of the institutions but the area where the students

apply the learned knowledge is shut down.

 Relating the above statement in lives of Bachelors level students, the first aspect of

COVID- 19’s effect can be seen in the career of the individuals who have just finished their

bachelor’s and were planning to get some experience by getting a job. The pressure to support

their family after college makes the situation even worse.

Sectors like IT, hotel industry, business, tourism has been affected and the individuals

who have experience working in this field are getting fired. The new individuals don’t even get

the opportunity to work.

The second aspect of COVID-19’s effect can be seen in the individuals who had planned

to go abroad for their higher education. For the fall of 2020, 85,758 individuals applied to study

abroad and majority of them are stuck in Nepal (Ministry of education) and have no clue what

they will do/ should do next. This has created heavy pressure in the individuals because most of

them had applied to the colleges by taking a loan. The original plan was to go abroad, work, and

pay off the loans but that’s not going to happen. Although students take online classes, the loan

has been a major burden (A story of an individual published online)

The third aspect of COVID-19’s effect can be seen in those area of study where practical

knowledge and application is necessary. As everything is closed and in lockdown, the students

who absolutely need practical implementation of what they have learned are not getting the level

of training they need to become good at what they are. These sectors include social work, hotel

management, architecture, event management etc.