Covid-19 Pandemic and E-Learning: Socio - Economic Factors Influencing the Challenges Faced By Ghanaian Universities

Abstract

The pandemic of COVID-19, which swept the globe, has damaged all facets of human endeavor, including education. As a response to the hazards to life posed by the epidemic, educational institutions in Ghana have had to improvise in order to provide tuition to students in order to mitigate the impact of the virus on students. The school administration at the Nyankpala campus of the identified and implemented e-learning as an alternative to face-to-face instruction, which posed a hazard to the health of students during the epidemic. This study aimed to examine the socioeconomic factors influencing the challenges faced by students in the use of e-learning during COVID-19, with a specific focus on the students of Nyankpala Campus, using both primary and secondary data to debrief the conceptions and theories in order to assess the level of impact of the pandemic and e-learning on students' academic performance. The study also sought to investigate the sources of information on COVID-19 from the respondents and the preventive measures, as these two factors determine their access to electrical devices to participate in e-learning and the extent to which this approach has impacted their academics as the study solicits the pertinent information on the measures implemented by the university's administration to ensure continuous learning. In this regard, the study employed a case study design with qualitative technique as the strategy for eliciting pertinent information through the use of key interview guides and personal interviews. According to the results, 62.31 % of the students are from metropolitan areas, while 37.69 % are from rural areas. In terms of money and social status, the numbers show that 17.69% of students come from high-class societies and 57.69% come from low-class societies. 58.46 % consistently reported poor network coverage, compared to 41.54 % who always had network connectivity. Data bundles, a lack of e-learning devices, and inadequate training were highlighted as the primary obstacles. As a result, several students were forced to miss or leave lectures, which negatively impacted their academic achievement and the delivery of instruction. In the future, it is proposed that the university collaborate with a number of government regulatory agencies, such as the National Communication Authority (NCA), to reduce the cost of data in order to improve internet connectivity on campus, as well as subsidize student tuition fees in order to alleviate the financial burden placed on students.