Counting the costs: Exploring the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in rural schools in Lesotho

Abstract

Pandemics leave long-term consequences in their wake. The Covid-19 pandemic reached catastrophic levels in Africa, similar to what it did in the rest of the world. Rural schools in developing countries, already reeling from extreme poverty and economic vulnerability, have borne the most severe brunt of the pandemic. In this study, we explore the effects of Covid-19 on rural schools in Lesotho using data from semi-structured online interviews with 10 rural-based teachers. We address two questions: "What are the effects of Covid-19 on rural schools in Lesotho?" and "What steps have been taken to mitigate the effects of Covid-19-induced school closures in Lesotho?" Findings show that enforced school closures meant to contain the spread of Covid-19 disrupted rural learners' lives. Innovations to mitigate the effects of the pandemic bridged the gap between the classroom and totally remote settings by introducing online education that, however, remains elusive for most rural learners.