Children avoid books during Pakistan's Covid-19 lockdown

Parents express concerns about children spending most of the time playing games

RAWALPINDI: An initiative of cable television (TV) operators to launch an educational channel for children to keep them engaged in curricular activities has failed to hold the attention of children. Parents have expressed concerns about their children, who spend most of their time playing games on cellphones or surfing the internet.

With the city in lockdown and the arrival of Ramazan were key factors in children drifting away from educational activities, parents said.

“Their daily routines have wreaked havoc,” parents said. They added that since the lockdown has been enforced, their children usually sleep in the morning after offering Fajr prayers and wake up late in the afternoon.

Owing to this, they miss classes which are broadcasted early in the morning television channels. Further, the Punjab government has not provided them with course books for the next academic year as yet due to the lockdown.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2020.