Inequalities reinforced through online and distance education in the age of COVID-19: The case of higher education in Nepal

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has triggered serious disruption in economic, social and cultural dynamics around the globe. Higher education has also suffered undeniable challenges as a result of the pandemic, with thousands of university students all over the world experiencing displacement, disconnect and disengagement from formal learning. In the Global South, online and distance education programmes tend to be concentrated in urban centres. In Nepal, students from rural areas, low socio-economic and gendered spaces, and those with low proficiencies in English and technological skills are experiencing inequalities in access to and participation in online and distance education. This article outlines how universities' shift to online teaching and learning modes due to the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced social inequalities in Nepal. For the study presented here, the author collected data through netnographic research methods. These included online interviews with university executives, online focus group discussions (FGDs) with university teachers and students, observation of and participation in online classes and policy conferences and reviews of online documents. The article analyses three overriding mechanisms which are reinforcing social inequalities in higher education: (1) universities’ policy trajectories in shifting teaching/learning from face-to-face to online mode; (2) infrastructural limitations challenging effective implementation of online teaching/learning; and (3) a lack of strong pedagogic support for students from disadvantaged and marginalised spaces, including those with low proficiencies in English and technological skills. The author presents a number of tangible strategies for universities to implement in order to mitigate social inequalities. He recommends the adoption of policies and practices that optimise the inclusive use of online and distance education programmes for best effect, both now and in the post-pandemic era.

An Investigation of Visual Arts Teachers’ Attitudes towards Distance Education in the Time of COVID-19

“…The difficulties and disruptions experienced by the education sector due to this ongoing pandemic cannot be denied. Temporary but tentative suspension of face-to-face activities of higher education institutions (HEIs) globally (UNESCO-IESALC 2020) has caused millions of students, both in schools and higher education institutions, to experience "displacement" or "disconnection" from formal learning (Devkota, 2021).…”

How Higher Education Faculty in Egypt Perceive the Effects of Covid-19 on Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication: Perspectives From the Global South

“…The second critical argument regarding the digitalization of higher education in Egypt focuses on the dangers of a digital divide, in which critics highlight learning poverty, a low Human Capital Index (World Bank, 2020), a deteriorating educational infrastructure, limited connectivity, and inequalities of digital access and usage that further exclude marginalized population segments (Devkota, 2021). The digitalization of higher education is also criticized as an imposed top–down decision that reflects only the policy makers’ will, without due public deliberation.…”

“…Experiences in the Global South reveal the localized dynamics of higher education disruption, including universities’ slowness in shifting policy trajectories for teaching/learning from face-to-face to online mode; infrastructural limitations that challenge effective implementation of these changes; a lack of strong pedagogical support for students from disadvantaged and marginalized areas (Devkota, 2021); and limited cultural acceptance of the newly imposed technologies (Sobhi, 2020). In the Egyptian context, education is central to sustainable and inclusive development, but quality remains low because the prevailing didactics does not develop creativity, problem-solving, or analytical and critical thinking (ESCWA, 2012).…”

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“…In general, upper-class students often attend private schools whereas middle and lower-class students attend public schools. While there are many schools for students in primary and secondary education, there are only 11 universities throughout Nepal (Devkota, 2021). Schools for students in Grade 1 to Grade 12 are spread out throughout the country, however, they are much more sparse in rural communities.…”