Back to school - Balancing learning, mental health and physical health

​Children in Bangalore have been out of school for 20 months. This has had a negative impact not only on their learning, but on their mental health too. No other country has kept children out of school for that long.

​In this session, I talk to a psychologist and paediatric doctor on the pros and cons of getting back to school. Just in the last month that schools have been open, I have firsthand seen how much more effective learning in person is, especially for the youngest children.

​The children are so happy to be back in school. They're enjoying being with their friends and there is an increase in the general happiness quotient at school.

​This doesn't come without risks of course. The virus is still very much here. Some schools have reported outbreaks of infection. Countries in Europe have had third and fourth waves.

​With this background, we will talk about the importance of getting children back to school and also how we can make this a safe transition for all concerned.

​Dr Anusha Madhavan is a psychlogist and counsellor. After a career as an applied mathematician in the US, she pursued a masters in counselling psychology and decided to focus on educational psychology. Her primary interests lie in child development and has worked with a number of schools in Bangalore.

​Dr Chetan Ginigeri is a paediatric consultant at Aster CMI hospital in Bangalore. He has written and published more than 20 publications in national journals and is a recipient of the Rotary Vocational Excellence Award. His interests lie in child safety, healthcare economics and transplant intensive care.

​Join us on 7th December to hear both sides of the debate!