COVID-19 and Beyond: The Ethical Challenges of Resetting Higher Education Institutions Services during and after the Pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 was discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and since then it has spread to all parts of the world. The world almost came to a standstill in 2020 as only essential services were allowed to operate and those who could work remotely, worked from home. For the first time in modern history, newsrooms were moved to homes, classrooms moved online, and many other services were reconfigured. Online services and the internet became essential. In this context, questions like, “How do educational systems react ethically to the ongoing challenges raised by the pandemic?” and, “What ethical values should underpin the resetting of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)?” need to be answered. In this paper, based on desktop research, an examination of some of the ethical challenges confronting those running HEIs, researchers and lecturers as they are adapting to the ‘new normal’ is explored. This new operating environment creates difficult ethical choices. Findings from this study has shown that all South African HEIs managed to transition to online learning. However, the transition was not uniform, given the country’s background and economic divide. A number of barriers such as cost, electricity availability and internet access have been identified. Recommendations are made as to how HEIs in South Africa may protect their integrity and at the same time adapt to the new normal.