Psychological impact of school closure and social isolation on female students during Covid-19: A case study from Bangladesh

10, November 2021 |

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Abstract

This article describes the socio-psychological effects of school closure on school-going urban girls in Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the Covid-19 pandemic. It illus- trates the life of urban students in Bangladesh during the school-closing time and relates it to their previous normal life. It asserts that the strengths of traditional schools have impor- tant relevance to socialization, which was significantly disturbed during the pandemic due to home confinement. Based on both qualitative and quantitative data, the following com- ponents led to an understanding of the schools’ role in the socialization of urban female students in Bangladesh: emotional attachments, interpersonal interactions, and physical activity. During confinement, the absence of these components put the students’ socializa- tion process at risk, resulting in socio-psychological changes in activities and behavioral patterns. Finally, the article recommends not considering online classes as the “new nor- mal”; working toward vaccination and obtaining suitable health equipment for the reopen- ing of traditional schools will do more to ensure the socio-psychological health of future generations.