How Coronavirus Shifts Education Globally
July 23 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has created a need in global education that never happened on such a large scale before. With schools being closed for weeks, even months in most countries around the globe, teachers and institutions have to find ways to act fast.
Regaining some sense of normalcy is never an easy task during such situations. People in the field of education had to be able to provide their students with access to online education fast. For many, this new reality was completely new and unpredicted.
The effects of the Coronavirus on the education of African youth
Schools might be closed across Africa and around 297 million students have been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. As the situation progresses, measures have been taken in order to ensure that students have access to education despite the difficulties.
Remote learning methods are being used on a national level with radio and television programs being held daily for those that don’t have access to the internet. In regards to online platforms, schools, and universities in Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, and others have taken initiative by putting together online classes. Providing access to free internet data for all students so they are able to continue learning through these difficult times has been a common battle.
Radio schools are especially helpful for rural areas where computers are less available. Educators, schools, parents, and global organizations are working hard to promote basic literacy and numeracy classes all over Africa. Education is becoming more easily available and these changes can make a big impact on African youth’s education for years to come.
Free image taken from: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-using-ballpoint-pen-374820/
Finding ways to adapt to this new reality
While the situation with the virus prohibited people from going to schools and universities, online education was a necessity from the very beginning. No matter whether the education system in a country is free or not, people still need to be able to have access to it. “During these difficult times, access to education is important, as it restores a certain sense of normalcy to everyone’s routines”, suggests Lanes Smith, Marketer for ClassyEssay.
The use of platforms such as zoom grew rapidly and even older professors had to learn how to use these new means. The transition might not have been easy for everyone, but almost everyone managed to complete lectures and classes successfully.
The truth is that no one was prepared for such a pandemic to happen. While that is true, everyone managed to adapt immediately and responsibly. Having to lose a year from college or school was not going to be an option for even those most affected by the virus.
Promoting education through different means
Even before the pandemic took place, websites such as KhanAcademy, Udemy, and Skillshare were present and providing people with chances to learn new skills. Along with these platforms, there are plenty of free sources of information such as YouTube where people are able to find educational content for free.
During the pandemic, many people finally found the time necessary to start learning something new. Along with the college and school students, even older people out of college had the time to invest in something they enjoy learning. This gave many of these platforms a reason to give away free memberships and even discounts so that more people could have access to free education.
“Promoting education in every way possible is important during difficult these times. Gaining new skills and completing another year of the university even during this difficult time will help people have something to look forward to”, advises Nicole Brown, Writer for TrustMyPaper.
Setting foundations for the future
With everyone adapting to online learning, this became the perfect opportunity for people and institutions to set the right foundations for the future of education. Institutions that did not previously offer the option of online learning now manage to handle this aspect of learning better. This does not only offer students more opportunities but it also allows for bigger investments in education.
Being able to have access to online education is a privilege many people did not have access to before the Coronavirus outbreak. Therefore, it is important that everyone works collectively in order to make sure that this new reality stays intact for the future of education.
“Providing everyone with access to online education should become a priority even after this pandemic has passed. There are different resources and ways to educate people so that everyone that wants to study can find a way to fit it into their schedules”, suggests Jamie Fletcher, Social Media Expert for GrabMyEssay.
Written By: Helene Cue
Helene Cue is a professional Editor and Content Creator for TopEssayWriting and BestEssaysEducation. Her strong passion for writing and learning drives her to work with various platforms such as SupremeDissertations where she is able to provide her audience with advice on many topics. In her spare time, she herself enjoys learning new skills on different education-promoting platforms.