The rise in online learning in South African schools due to the coronavirus pandemic

Abstract

The primary purpose of this article is to review the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on schools. Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, several schools in South Africa resorted to implementing online learning strategies to adhere to the health regulation issued by the Department of Health and the World Health Organisation. This study makes a scholarly contribution by reviewing the government lockdown regulations and responses by learning institutions in South Africa. An exploratory research design was used, using a variety of databases, journals, and governmental reports. The findings of the review assert that the outbreak of the Coronavirus presents an opportunity for the education sector to develop an integrated  approach that supports blended learning. The current changes in the education sector are financially viable, yet socio-economic challenges slow the implementation of online learning strategies. The findings suggest that while the South African government is promoting online learning as the only alternative in the context of Covid-19, this mode excludes many rural learners from teaching and learning due to a lack of resources to
connect to the internet, the learning management system, and low-tech software. Therefore it is recommended for the institution to employ sustainable measures. The paper argues that the Coronavirus pandemic has given rise to online learning in South Africa.

Keywords: Blended Learning, Coronavirus, Online Learning, Education, Lockdown