The stark COVID-19 challenges HE faces in Latin America

Since the COVID-19 outbreak reached Latin American and Caribbean countries around three months ago, more than 28 million university students (according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics) are now learning remotely in the region. In the meantime, both universities and students are facing truly intense, unprecedented challenges in terms of technological infrastructure, financial matters and resources, among others.

University leaders have had to overcome different issues and universities have had to reinvent themselves so as not to lag behind and also to supply services to millions of students, taking into account that higher education has been one of the sectors that has not stopped despite the devastating nature of the pandemic.

After weeks of virtual classes, governments and higher education institutions are working together to establish mechanisms and-or protocols to reopen in the autumn.

Hybrid learning and enrolment

One of the options on the table is related to the combination of remote and face-to-face classes – what academics have referred to as a ‘hybrid model’ – for imparting education. However, Latin American universities are concerned about the effect this may have on student enrolment, a main source of revenue for the operation of higher education institutions in Latin America.

For instance, recent surveys in North America have shown that post-secondary enrolment will fall by at least 10%, according to Simpson Scarborough, a higher education consulting firm based in Alexandria, Virginia.

Another survey commissioned by the Canadian Association of University Teachers and the Canadian Federation of Students found that 30% of students might change their plans about enrolling next semester. It is estimated that the impact in Latin America will be greater due to the more challenging economic conditions.

The financial challenge

In fact, some universities are already struggling with various financial challenges due to the crisis. For example, six universities in Chile have laid off hundreds of employees, while salary reductions of between 5% and 15% have been applied in others.

On the other hand, Chile’s minister of education has been adjusting the plan and programmes corresponding to scholarships, loans and free tuition for higher education students whose families have been economically affected by the crisis. These have been extended to technical and technological training centres, which offer one-, two- and up to three-year programmes.

Likewise, both private and public universities in Colombia have applied for a government aid package, calling for equitable treatment compared with other business sectors. They point out that a negative answer from the government regarding this request could call into question the future of many institutions and say that the development of both academic and scientific initiatives may be dramatically affected.

They also say that thousands of employees, whether faculty or other staff members, may lose their jobs as a result of the current situation.

Hence universities have requested financial support, for instance special loan lines, an extension to tax payment deadlines and an increase in the number of students who can get loans.

The country whose institutions have been most critically affected is Peru, where the National Superintendent of Higher Education (SUNEDU according to its abbreviation in Spanish), a public entity in charge of regulating the provision of higher education, has reported numerous complaints from students against different universities for reasons such as access to virtual education, lack of technological capacity and lack of teacher training in using virtual resources, among others.

Technology support

Moreover, while the majority of institutions across the Latin American region have continued without interruption, switching to a remote learning mode, Peruvian universities stopped operating altogether when the pandemic began in order to implement or strengthen their technological platforms to ensure adequate service provision. Only a select few reopened in May while others are planning to do so in June.

Similarly, an executive from one the largest universities in Mexico stated that there is an awareness of the country’s limitations in terms of technological infrastructure and that many students cannot even connect to an internet network service.

However, the consequences of this pandemic for higher education in the region go much deeper. As with other universities in Latin America, switching to virtual learning in Mexico has been a great challenge since remote access is not optimal. Furthermore, institutions were not prepared for such an unexpected change.

Many students have also stated that some professors do not have the digital skills even to manage learning platforms. Therefore, most institutions have relaxed their assessment and enrolment criteria as a result so that students’ academic performance is not affected.

Basically, universities have decided to make exams more flexible and have also encouraged educators to take into account both the economic and social situations of students who may be seriously affected by the current crisis.

From Brazil to the Caribbean

Meanwhile, in Brazil, now a global epicentre of the virus, two waves of virtual protests have been taking place against educational policies established by the federal government. The higher education sector was still reeling from the 30% cuts proposed by the government last year. This, along with the economic damage caused by the coronavirus, jeopardises the future of higher education in the country after a period of expansion.

Between 2009 and 2018, Brazil’s higher education sector had seen an increase in funding of 145%. Such sweeping cuts after a period of investment led to mass protests against Jair Bolsonaro’s government last year.

Finally, institutions in the Caribbean are also affected by the coronavirus. For example, according to the president of the Dominican Association of University Leaders (ADRU), universities in the Dominican Republic have registered a drop in enrolment of between 15% and 40% due to the health situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

He said that as long as there is no global clarity about the trajectory of the virus, university demand is likely to fall over several academic periods and that it has generated a new economic reality for higher education institutions.

Throughout Latin America the coronavirus has had a dramatic impact and despite the efforts of some governments and higher education leaders, not only in economic but also social and organisational matters, the future looks uncertain and negative for the region.

Walter Suarez is a professor at the Universidad de Sucre in Colombia. His current research focuses on how higher education institutions can play different roles, how technologies can serve as a catalyst for collaborative learning and the link between gender inequality and academic mobility in higher education. E-mail: walter.suarez@unisucre.edu.co, Twitter: @WalterSuarezG