The Covid-19 pandemic has stripped naked the severe marginalisation of women seeking access to educational opportunities in rural Eastern Cape communities, according to a Walter Sisulu University research study.

With the sudden shift away from the classroom in many parts of the globe, some are wondering whether the adoption of online learning will continue to persist post-pandemic as women in rural areas continue to be affected.

Taking to the podium at the WSU Institutional Research Day was Foundation phase and Educational Foundations lecturer in the department of Adult, Foundation phase and Educational Foundations Nontuthuzelo Ngubane, to present some of the Covid-19 related challenges experienced by women in rural areas.

“Findings determined that poor infrastructural conditions in rural communities and emotional tensions impacted negatively on remote teaching,” said Ngubane.

Students expressed that rural areas have inadequate infrastructure that leads to poor connectivity which made learning and teaching inaccessible.

The rough terrain includes deep valleys that their homes are built in which struggle with network connectivity. This study was conducted amongst female national diploma final year students.

She further added that despite the challenges that these women faced during this period, they continued to thrive.

“The lockdown expanded roles and family responsibilities as they had to fetch water, wood and even collect cattle from the grazing fields. The household chores burdened the female students as they battled to focus on education,” added Ngubane.

Some of the challenges that were mentioned by students were that, after their dowry was paid to their families, the lockdown was seen as an opportunity to showcase their abilities of becoming wives.

“With the challenges I have mentioned that the students encountered, universities did their best to support the students by providing them with necessary tools such as laptops and provided them with data for connectivity,” added Ngubane.

While COVID-19 has made online learning inevitable, and a practicable alternative to traditional schooling, a need for an inclusive approach that caters for the lived realities of rural learners is still visible.

- Anita Roji