Exploring educational lives of the excluded youth under COVID-19 in the SADC region
Date
2020-09-10
Authors
Muchanga, Manoah
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
JET Education Service
Abstract
About 80.5 million learners from early childhood to tertiary levels of education in the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) are affected by countrywide school, college and university lockdown in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of these48% are female and 52% male, some already experiencing some
forms of exclusion that, under COVID-19,further hampers their learning.
In this research project, the term ‘excluded youth’ refers to any person between the ages of 10 and 35 who has
been systematically disadvantaged and discriminated against as a result of pre-existing conditions and is unable
to access equitable and quality education in the changing teaching-learning landscape precipitated by response
to the pandemic. The aim of the research project was to explore educational challenges experienced by
excluded youth amid COVID-19 among selected SADC countries in order to inform policy decisions and actions
that improve their educational lives. The objectives of the project were to: document excluded youths’
understandings of COVID-19; explore life stories of how excluded youth were living, surviving and adapting or
not adapting to the changed and changing learning environments amid COVID-19; document how the learning
needs of excluded youth are being addressed by governments, their partners and other development
stakeholders; explore possible learning opportunities for the excluded youth arising from the COVID-19 crisis
and how these are, or can be effectively utilised; and devise regional policy recommendations on how to
address the learning needs of excluded youth amid COVID-19. The project was a phenomenological exploratory
nested study in which semi-structured interviews were used to gather information with the aid of Google Forms
which was used to record the collected information. The sample consisted of 89 youth participants who were
purposively sampled across six SADC countries namely, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and
Zimbabwe. Six key informants were interviewed from universities, non-governmental organisations and
government education and youth departments so as to inform the research with their expert knowledge.
The study found that excluded youth are more knowledgeable about the symptoms and preventative measures
of COVID-19 than its origins. The use of masks and social distancing were the widely adopted preventative
measure on account of being cost effective. New forms of learning exclusion include: lack of access to internet
and e-learning, lack of access to e-learning gadgets, lack of adequate exposure to emerging learning
technologies, lack of electricity for operationalisation of e-learning, psychological distrust of one another,
isolated learning, high cost of internet, poor radio and TV signal, among others. The study indicates that before
COVID-19,the learning experience was conducive and inclusive. There was opportunity for youth to socialise and
discuss school work, share notes and ideas, and it gave them confidence in their individual academic progression
and potential success in the examinations in spite of their socioeconomic exclusions. However,duringCOVID-19,
learning and learning environments have become exclusive, favouring those from socio-economically
advantaged families who are familiar with the use of educational technologies, have access to electricity and
connectivity, and can afford to buy TVs and other e-learning equipment. Social distancing has unanimously been
cited as the main source of learning exclusion because pupils can no longer be, and learn, together as per
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) principles. The study recommends the need to urgently devise
strategies to address the impact of social and physical distancing on the learning process which has affected the
process of learning together among pupils and teachers. Moreover, the timing for online and TV channel classes
should not coincide with peak hours for domestic chores such as sweeping, cooking, and others which tend to disadvantage girl children. Rural schools should be re-opened subject to strict adherence to all public health
rules because rural learners have been the most affected and widely excluded by the current mode of learning.
Further research to investigate the impact of COVID-19 and responses to the pandemic have affected the
educational lives of persons with disabilities is also highly recommended. Radio broadcasts of school
programmes is also recommended for continuous delivery of lessons, especially for the underprivileged.
Description
Keywords
Education--Research--Covid 19 , Education--Research--excluded youths , Computer-assisted learning
Citation
Muchanga, M. (2020). Exploring educational lives of the excluded youth under COVID-19 in the SADC region. https://www.jet.org.za/resources/sadc-theme-3-exploring-educational-lives-of-excluded-youth-final-aug.pdf/view