Adapting to Change: Exploring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Academic Performance in African Students and the Role of Virtual Learning as a Substitute

Abstract

Many universities and colleges worldwide switched to virtual learning due to the coronavirus pandemic, and classroom course delivery was generally discontinued. The present cross-sectional study aimed to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of African students’ academic performance using virtual learning as a substitute. Google Forms was used to collect data. An overall response rate of 97.2% was achieved from 835 participants across 16 African nations. A five-point Likert scale was employed in the questionnaire. Tables, frequencies, and percentages were employed to reveal the study’s findings after using SPSS 21 to analyze the responses. The data revealed that, on average, students in the African region believed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on their academic achievement, with a mean score of 3.72. Even though online education allows for self-study, the largest challenge African students had with it was its limitation in enveloping both the theoretical and practical aspects of knowledge impartation (there were no avenues for science or art laboratories, hospital practices, etc.). The idea among students was that exclusively using an online education system would prevent them from achieving intellectual competency. Online education could be improved by making it more engaging, showcasing techniques in real-world situations, and offering concise information.