Delayed online teaching in pandemic widens education gap

The coronavirus pandemic has severely disrupted Bangladesh’s already troubled higher education sector, further widening the education gap.

Academics say the pandemic could have a long-term impact on education as many universities could not start online classes before the first week of July because the country lacks good-quality internet access and infrastructure for online classes.

Bangladesh has seen some 213,250 coronavirus cases and around 2,751 deaths as of 22 July, with the number of new cases rising particularly rapidly in May and June, and peaking in early July.

The government ordered educational institutions to shut down on 16 March, initially until 31 March with several extensions. Campus dormitories were closed and all students were told to return home. On 15 June, the education ministry extended the shutdown to 6 August.

Academic semester lost

At least one academic semester was lost as the government and university administrations were late in taking the decision to shift to online academic activities. According to information obtained from Bangladesh’s University Grants Commission (UGC), as of June only seven out of 46 public universities were running academic activities online.

While top private universities started online teaching soon after the pandemic hit in March, many public universities could not start before July, with conflicting statements from government ministers on the need to extend closures adding to the uncertainty.

Tawhida Jahan, chair of the department of communication disorders at the University of Dhaka, said it required a big adjustment for the higher education system to run online academic activities effectively.

“The reality is Bangladesh is not ready for online classes. But in this pandemic situation it is also true that we don’t have any alternative to online education,” she said.

Jahan said her department could only start online classes from 23 June, while many other departments could not start before the first week of July. Her university is also discussing providing smartphones, laptops and data pack facilities to students and teachers.

The challenges are that many public university teachers are not familiar with the idea of online classes, internet coverage is poor and mobile internet connection charges are high.

Particularly for public university students, many of whom are from poor families, “these factors played a role in taking the decision late for public universities,” said Afsan Chowdhury, a professor at the private BRAC University in Dhaka, speaking to University World News.

“Students will not be able to complete courses on time and they will struggle to get jobs,” he said, adding that “the most disturbing thing is that it has exposed a digital divide in the country. Students who cannot attend classes will feel deprived and this will have an impact on them psychologically.”

On 25 June, after a meeting with the vice-chancellors of public universities, the UGC decided that teaching would shift online, but examinations and laboratory activities would remain postponed.

Internet access problems

Students said they face serious problems accessing classes as they do not get uninterrupted internet connections at their homes. Some students do not have smartphones or other electronic devices to access online classes.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission data shows that of 160 million people, just 100 million have internet access. However, only 4.84 million have a broadband connection. The rest, some 95.16 million people, use the internet via their mobile phones.

After a survey of 19,000 students was conducted in May by the UGC, the UGC chairman, Kazi Shahidullah, said it found that 87% of respondents use smartphones for online classes. Neither the UGC nor the education ministry have clarified how they are planning to support the 13% of students who do not have smartphones.

Goutam Roy, an assistant professor at the Institute of Education and Research at Rajshahi University in Northwestern Bangladesh, said many public university students come from poor families, mainly from rural areas, and purchasing internet packages from mobile companies is expensive.

“Universities might have to take students’ financial condition into consideration while taking the decision whether they would start online classes or not,” he said.

A 2019 report by internet companies Hootsuite and ‘We Are Social’ found the global average mobile internet speed was 25.08 megabytes per second (mbps). In Bangladesh it is 9.06mbps. The report also said that while the global average for broadband connection speed is 54.33mbps, it is only 25.08mbps in Bangladesh.

Abdur Rahman, a Jahangirnagar University student from Patuakhali district in South-central Bangladesh, told University World News that he went to his home district after lockdown, but the internet is very poor there.

Students said they are facing uncertainty about completing their courses and entering the job market.

University of Dhaka student Sanjida Akher said it costs BDT800 (US$9.40) to BDT1,000 (US$11.80) per month to access classes using mobile phone data, a significant amount for her.

“I just don’t know how I can pass the exams,” she said, adding that she is in her final year and was planning to enter the job market next year. This will not be possible now.