The Right to Education and Online Learning in Higher Institutions in Nigeria During the Covid-19 Lockdown: Prospects and Challenges

Abstract

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the imposition of lockdowns by governments, institutions of learning around the world adopted online learning as the preferred mode of instruction while the lockdowns persisted. This experience exposed the digital divide and further widened the gap between the privileged and non-privileged in terms of access to education. The right to education has been interpreted to encompass equality and non-discrimination. This study investigates the adoption of online learning in the context of equal and non-discriminatory access to education. It explores how the adoption of online learning could aid the realization of the right to education in a pandemic and other emergency situations; challenges associated with online learning in Nigeria and the impact of socio-economic status in enjoying the right to education. Roughly five to six months into the lockdown, an online questionnaire was distributed to Nigerian university students who were engaged in online learning. Respondents were drawn from both public (government-owned) and private universities. Responses were analysed by means of descriptive statistics including the use of frequency tables. The results showed a marked difference between students in private universities and students in public universities in several key areas including access to required technology, exposure to online education and length of time in online learning. The study further identified key challenges to online learning in Nigeria. The study provides evidence of disparities between students in private universities and students in public universities in terms of accessing education during the COVID-19 pandemic.