Abstract
This perspective paper aimed at elucidating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on African institutions of higher education. With specific reference to Kenya, the paper exposed the state of the country’s unpreparedness in terms of instructional technologies, a situation that had contributed to an almost total shutdown of institutions following the outbreak. It was notable that whereas Kenya—like most African countries—had not borne the brunt of COVID-19 infections in comparison to other countries outside the continent, its education sector was adversely affected. This followed the social distancing requirement that limited in-person gatherings—the low rate of infections notwithstanding—implying that its learning institutions, most of which operated on in-person mode, had to close. Since most universities in Africa had hitherto operated on this mode, the shift to online learning was not easy. Save for a few universities that had digital infrastructure, the rest encountered difficulties in moving to remote learning. Many had to quickly assemble digital curricula, the quality of which could not be guaranteed. Even if an institution managed to do so, not all students could be brought on board. Digital exclusion became more pronounced than ever before, with learners who were economically, technologically, and geographically disadvantaged missing out. Inequalities in education were laid bare and exacerbated. All this notwithstanding, Africa learnt lessons. The whole experience prompted various stakeholders—university management, faculty, and government—to rethink their modes of education delivery, with quality and access in mind. In retrospect, the pandemic could serve as a catalyst for digitalization in Africa’s higher education system.
Highlights
The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and subsequent pandemic has had far-reaching global impacts, including on the education enterprise
This paper focuses on Kenya, a country located in the Eastern part of Africa, and describes how higher education was affected
A study conducted in five African universities revealed that whereas learners were receptive to online education that had commenced after COVID-19 broke out, approximately 70% of both students and lecturers considered it ineffective owing to lack of supportive milieu: inadequate computers, unreliable electricity supply, poor broadband connectivity, lack of technical support, inadequate technological and pedagogical skills, and lack of relevant policies (Paschal and Mkulu, 2020)
Summary
Tutorial Fellow, PhD candidate, School of Education, Alupe University College, Kenyatta University, Busia, Kenya. Specialty section: This article was submitted to Educational Psychology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Education This perspective paper aimed at elucidating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on African institutions of higher education. It was notable that whereas Kenya—like most African countries—had not borne the brunt of COVID-19 infections in comparison to other countries outside the continent, its education sector was adversely affected. This followed the social distancing requirement that limited in-person gatherings—the low rate of infections notwithstanding—implying that its learning institutions, most of which operated on in-person mode, had to close. The pandemic could serve as a catalyst for digitalization in Africa’s higher education system
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
