The E-learning craze, a blessing or a curse: The African Experience

The Covid-19 pandemic caught the world by surprise and caused significant disruptions to the education sector. With restrictions on movement and social gatherings, education institutions, especially institutions of higher learning came up with innovative ways of teaching and learning. The e-learning methodology was recommended globally as a viable alternative to continuing teaching and learning, even where the necessary e-learning infrastructure did not exist. Neither were the learners nor their teachers adequately prepared in the conduct of online learning. This book documents the experiences with online learning with a special focus on the African continent. The Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims at the attainment of quality education with a special focus on the poor. As the institutions rushed into online learning, how was the fate of the poor handled. Will online learning help African countries to attain SDG 4, or will it simply drive away the countries from the attainment of this vital goal? There are reported cases where online learning has accelerated the dropout rate contrary to what the promoters had expected of increased access to learning.