A framework for pandemic compliant higher education national system

Abstract

Even after 13 months, our world is still battling with global pandemic COVID-19. The pandemic has already infected more than one hundred and three million people, killing about two and a quarter million of them. Recently, several vaccines to inoculate people against the ongoing pandemic have been approved. People in most of the countries are being injected with these vaccines. While the world awaits for the outcome of the ongoing vaccinations, a more aggressive strain of coronavirus is killing many people in several countries, including the UK, the USA, Netherland, South Africa, and Australia. The ongoing pandemic has severely affected almost all aspects of our lives; education being one of them. As a result, majority of students in the world have completely lost access to the traditional way of institutional learning, while others have suffered in different ways and to a lesser degree. Many universities, colleges, and schools were closed during the initial pandemic lockdown during March–May, 2020. Luckily, some higher education institutions were better equipped to switch over to online teaching, either using a Learning Management System (LMS) or use some other online tools to connect with their students. With the help of surveys of students and teachers from several countries, this article aims to analyze the damage caused to the education sector by the pandemic at the global level. Guided by our literature review, and analysis of responses to our two surveys, we also provide a framework for a national education system, which could withstand future global crises like the one created by the COVID-19, and ensure continuity of education to all, especially the poor sections of the society.