Student Status in the Era of COVID-19
How Canada can Place Young People at the Centre of its COVID Recovery Plan
I’m sitting here writing this piece from the comfort of my bedroom, at a well-lit desk. Downstairs in the kitchen I have access to food, water, and coffee (caffeine deserves a special shout-out). My wifi connection is strong, which comes in handy as I wrap up the final set of readings for my last term of grad school.
It’s strange to consider that the last class of my degree will take place at home in front of my laptop, as my professor delivers his lecture via webcam, but this is the reality we are adapting to as COVID-19 pushes businesses and educational institutions to adapt to digital modes of working and learning. When I found out that my university would be transitioning online just a few weeks ago, my classmates and I were shocked. We were left with questions of how we could possibly receive the same quality of teaching without face-to-face contact with professors and access to the resources we once had. Then I witnessed as this happened to my friends in schools around the world. The past fortnight has seen our libraries shut down, graduation ceremonies cancelled, and critical internships scrapped. Much of this was inevitable; as we seek to slow the spread of the virus, we must do our part to stay at home.
But social responsibility comes at a cost, especially for those of us still in school. Beyond the typical anxieties of meeting deadlines and getting good grades whilst adapting to new modes of learning, students have faced evictions from their residences, must take exams at irregular hours having returned to their home countries, and face an economically precarious future. Work placements, which often comprise part of a degree’s graduation requirements, have been forgone. Crucial funding decisions are being delayed. Our governments have not sufficiently indicated how they are going to relieve students of the financial burdens they are facing.
Fiscal Support
One measure we have seen in Canada is that the payment of student loans has been suspended to 30 September, 2020. But this does little for those of us who will require a source of income in the coming months. As of 25 March, 2020, the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) “[will] provide $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.” However, it only covers “Canadians who have lost their job, are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19, as well as working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children who are sick or at home because of school and daycare closures. The CERB would apply to wage earners, as well as contract workers and self-employed individuals who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI).”
For Canadian students who were not previously employed and therefore ineligible for EI, this is a total of $8,000 that is out of reach. For a vast number of students, the next four months after exams would have been spent gaining work experience and saving up (for the future, or to pay tuition or loans) but such is no longer the case.
Update: According to Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, students qualify for the CERB if they have earned $5,000 in the last year. More clarification is needed on how students can access this benefit, as well as how it applies to students who did not make $5,000 in the last year.
Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, financial support is primarily allocated towards businesses, individuals who qualify for Statutory Sick Pay, are self-employed, or are low earners, but there is no mention paid towards students whose employment status has been impacted. As the scientists, healthcare professionals, and policymakers of the future, our voices must be listened to in this time of crisis.
Improving Access to Education
Beyond financial hardship, we should also consider the barriers to accessible education during this period of transition. I am privileged to have a good home to study in for the remainder of my degree. But with four family members also working from home, there are times when our wifi lags, which makes keeping up during lectures a challenge, and slows down Skype meetings with professors. For students who do not have the luxuries of a quiet house, fast Internet, or even their own computer, the shift to online learning can feel like jumping through hoops. I commend the support that professors have provided in these circumstances, but it’s crucial to remember that not everyone has the same home life; many students may be required to care for family members in quarantine, take on additional domestic labour, all while trying to successfully reach the finish line of their degree. For many students, “home” can be a threat to their safety, and the hours spent at school or university may be their only refuge from an abusive family member or unhealthy living conditions.
So, what can we do? For starters, governments can act swiftly to provide financial relief to students, and ensure that workplaces have the funding, resources, and capacity to host summer jobs (recognizing that most work may be done virtually). Universities and colleges can amend their graduation requirements to accommodate students who have not been able to complete a placement. More graciously, they can provide refunds (either partially or in full) for terms taking place online, given the decline in the quality of teaching and learning. Faculties can approach this crisis from a place of care and empathy, recognizing individual circumstances and granting extensions on deadlines as much as possible. Students can be provided with more options for living accommodations. Online and virtual mental health services can be extended. Finally, as we all consider digital learning as a long-term option, we must do so in a way that meets the needs of students from less privileged background. Expanding and improving Internet access and reducing the price for high-speed rates is just one solution.
This pandemic requires us to think expansively about a new digital epoch and a political economy centred around working people. Students of all backgrounds must be core to this analysis. In this critical juncture, as we all consider how we will restructure our society once the pandemic ends, we must ensure that the needs of students are foundational to every conversation. And in the present moment, as governments develop relief packages and education establishments transition online, it is critical that they enact policies that support the current and future success of young people.
