About 79 per cent students said they were uncomfortable with online learning solutions. (Express Photo by Prashant Nadkar / Representational Image)
As educational institutes move online due to the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, students from economically weaker sections (EWS) are finding it hard to catch up. Of the 25 crore students affected by the lockdown, 80 per cent fall in the EWS category and are struggling due to lack of e-learning, know-how and unavailability of required infrastructure, according to a recent survey by scholarship ed-tech plaftform Buddy4Study.
A majority of students surveyed showed an inclination for online learning, but also admitted to multiple barriers that they faced in the transition. More than 75 per cent of students said they found it difficult to pursue an online course as they had never done it before. The survey revealed about 79 per cent students find online learning solutions “uncomfortable”.
As per the survey, as many as 30 per cent students did not possess the infrastructure to pursue online learning. Nearly 35 per cent were unaware of the right online courses to opt for.
Read| Poor connectivity, lack of smartphones: Online learning a challenge for teachers, students
Further, over 75 per cent students reported a severe impact on their education due to the COVID-19 crisis. About 90 per cent students mentioned that they needed hand-holding to make a shift towards online learning .
Manjeet Singh, CEO, Buddy4Study.com, commented, “As we advocate the shift in learning methods in the changing scenario, the challenges for Economically Disadvantaged Section of EWS students in India have only increased as they are neither equipped nor hand-held in pursuing online learning programmes.”
More than 80 per cent students specified that they would need weekly/monthly doubt clearing sessions to become comfortable with online learning, as per the survey.
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