Deaf students speak out: Experiences of education in West Bengal during the Covid-19 pandemic (2022)

Deaf Child Worldwide commissioned a study focusing on the experiences of deaf secondary school children in West Bengal to find out more about the many ways the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the education and lives of deaf young people in low-income countries. 

The pandemic was a tremendously difficult time for everyone. The closure of so many schools for so long has thrown the challenges of accessing education remotely for children across the world. 

For this study, we sought the stories from deaf young people themselves, not their teachers or parents, because in our experience they are rarely asked about their own reflections and opinions.

Although this research is focused on a specific context, our experience of working in low-income countries in South Asia and East Africa has shown us that many issues for deaf children are shared. 

Our response to the report findings

In response to the study’s findings, we have come up with a range of recommendations for education policymakers and funders which, if put into practice, could significantly improve the prospects of deaf schoolchildren:

• Ensure digital learning is accessible for all learners, including those with disabilities and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Invest in training teachers, so that they are equipped with the right skills and knowledge to teach deaf children.
• Provide additional support to deaf students at school and in the community that recognises their specific needs.
• Conduct further research to understand how deafness intersects with other factors that lead to disadvantage.

Watch our video

We produced a short video to accompany the report, which tells the story of deaf school student Priyanka (16) and describes the challenges she faced as a result of the pandemic.