COVID-19 and Schooling of Disabled Children and Youth in Kenya: The Locus of Education in the Disaster Risk Reduction Process

Ressa, Theodoto

doi:10.4236/jss.2022.1012009

Cited by 1 publication

(4 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…4.1.2 Household socioeconomic status. The few available studies on the extent of access to virtual learning through educational technology that exist together with collaborative media reports identify the lack of electricity and poor Internet connectivity as the main factors that largely excluded many learners from online learning (Uwezo Kenya, 2020;Parsitau & Jepkemei, 2020;Population Council, 2021;Ressa, 2022). In a way, these studies depict a trend where such disparities coincide with the financial stability (or lack of it) of families from which learners come.…”

Section: Implementing Online Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite efforts by the Kenyan government, international organisations, local and international companies among others to boost online learning, people with disabilities were the most disadvantaged in online learning as most were poverty-stricken thus had limited resources to purchase or prepare for learning equipments (Ressa, 2020, p. 48). While many learners with disabilities relied on the radios and mobile phones, these tools required a lot of concentration, thereby making it more difficult to learn (Ressa, 2022). While learners with disabilities are used to the routine of trying to maintain their health and functionality, the environment within their homes became stressful because of this change in the routine (Ressa, 2022, p. 133).…”

Section: Implementing Online Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While many learners with disabilities relied on the radios and mobile phones, these tools required a lot of concentration, thereby making it more difficult to learn (Ressa, 2022). While learners with disabilities are used to the routine of trying to maintain their health and functionality, the environment within their homes became stressful because of this change in the routine (Ressa, 2022, p. 133). Such learners also require appropriate and psychological support or counselling for their mental health.…”

Section: Implementing Online Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such learners also require appropriate and psychological support or counselling for their mental health. However, such support was inadequate and this further made their online learning difficult (Ressa, 2022, p. 134).…”

Section: Implementing Online Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Equity issues in the provision of online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya

Malenya

Ohba

2023

JICE

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to critically review the well-intended plan by the government through the Ministry of Education to continue providing quality learning through online learning and in an equitable and inclusive manner during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on a review of the available literature including assessment reports, academic studies and media reports.FindingsThe paper revealed that despite the visionary plan by the government that the development and implementation of an emergency response plan would ensure equitable and inclusive continued learning for all students, those learners who were disadvantaged, including those living in remote areas and urban informal settlements, girls and learners from low–socio-economic households, found it even harder to access lessons. In fact, the existing digital divide on the part of the learners and schools served to reproduce or even widen inequities in learning. The COVID-19 pandemic evidently made these inequities more visible or even worse. What had been conceived as and intended to be an equitable and inclusive learning exercise ended up marginalising learners in already marginalised spaces.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the researchers made an attempt to search for as many documents as possible, the documents selected for the paper are limited to those that explored the online learning during COVID-19 in Kenya. These reports were critically examined with a view to providing a clear picture of what online teaching and learning was like and how this picture embraced notions of fairness and inclusivity hence equity. Despite all these, there was the possibility of having some biases in the used reports. However, the researchers carefully read them triangulating them with others with similar information in an attempt to filter biases.Practical implicationsThe paper has demonstrated how the learning process can be influenced by the provision of the relevant teaching and learning materials, tools and infrastructure.Social implicationsThis paper has clearly demonstrated the position that learning is a social process and which is affected by the social factors such as gender roles, socio-economic status and the social environment in which it occurs.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to ongoing discussion about the potentials and challenges of online learning particularly in a country like Kenya where equity in learning still remains a considerable challenge mainly as a result of the existing socio-economic, regional and gender disparities in learning. The paper makes a contribution in terms of an authentic mode of thinking that should guide the process of provision of “learning for all”.

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Section: Implementing Online Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%