Uncertainty in an Uncertain Land – Battling of COVID-19 in Afghan Educational System

Abstract

The battle to fight and resist the COVID-19 virus continues worldwide and even the vaccination drive is failing to control the new strains of viruses which are resulting in death and disruption of a normal life. The higher education sector, like others, has been affected by billions of students unable to return to their campus life. Universities have been forced to scale up their online learning ability, try out new and effective learning management systems and train their faculty and staff members to teach and operate remotely. This has led to a financial strain on the higher education institution with dwindling enrollment and student mobility. Afghanistan’s vulnerable and fragile higher education system, fraught with war and internal strife, has suffered a huge setback. Electricity and access to the internet is a perilous problem and with the additional burden of students studying online, both providers of utility services and educational institutions are finding it increasingly difficult to face the unprecedented demand. This chapter aims to highlight such issues that are plaguing the already uncertain future of this country – even when the presence of the COVID-19 virus was unheard of. Qualitative interview method was used to gather data from the officials from the Ministry of Higher Education, faculty members from different universities and students from various provinces who voiced their opinion and hardships that they are facing in the current pandemic situation. The data were analyzed to suggest possible outcomes and recommendations were based on the data collected.

Citation

Sengupta, E., Sahibbzada, M.G., Ibrahimi, M., Haidari, N. and Yousufi, E. (2021), "Uncertainty in an Uncertain Land – Battling of COVID-19 in Afghan Educational System", Sengupta, E. and Blessinger, P. (Ed.) New Student Literacies amid COVID-19: International Case Studies (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 41), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 69-79. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120210000041011