The second wave of COVID-19 in India has been extremely worrying. This pandemic has already had a severe impact on a large part of the population. This most recent wave is likely to be even more damaging for children who lost their parents amid this pandemic. It has left them vulnerable not only to mental health but also education as most of them are facing out of school with no resources to look up to.

Many state governments have taken the initiative to look after the education of children who lost their parents during the pandemic. States like Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh and the NCT of Delhi have already decided to ensure free education of the kids losing their parents to COVID-19. Many other states have offered scholarships in this respect. COVID-19 Impact on Kids: Here's How to Help Children Cope With Coronavirus Related Stress During Lockdown.

- Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday had already announced that the Delhi government will sponsor for the education of children loosing their parents to COVID-19;

- Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also announced on the same day that the state government will provide a pension of Rs 5,000 per month and free education to children orphaned due to COVID-19.

-Similar announcement was made by the Chattisgarh government that it will bear the cost of education for the children who have lost parents to COVID-19, under the scheme 'Chhattisgarh Mahtari Dular Yojna'.

- The Jharkhand government had also said that it is committed to rehabilitating children orphaned by COVID-19 and announced financial assistance to the caretakers.

-Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has also announced special scholarships for children who lost their parents to the COVID-19 virus. Other special benefits have also been announced for those who have lost their family members.

Government schools in the capital have been asked to keep regular communication with the kids. School management committees have been asked to keep tabs on the children seeking help. Prior to these announcements, celebrities like Sonu Sood and Priyanka had tweeted and urged the government to ensure free education for those kids loosing either of their parents. The Central Board of Secondary Education on the other hand launched an application for students of classes 9 to 12 to look at the psychosocial wellness of students. The app offers counseling sessions, educational material on social, emotional, and behavioral issues such as depression, anxiety over exams, and internet addiction disorder, among students.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 17, 2021 12:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).