TITLE:
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Tertiary Education in Bangladesh: Students’ Perspectives
AUTHORS:
Sushmita Dutta, Marzia Khatan Smita
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Pandemic, Tertiary Education, Bangladesh, Closure of Educational Institutions
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.8 No.9,
September
4,
2020
ABSTRACT: The
present study sought to explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on tertiary
education in Bangladesh through the students’ perspectives by using a
qualitative research design. The participants were fifty university students
who took part in semi-structured interviews. The thematic analysis method was used
for data analysis. Numerous unprecedented disruptions in students’ learning,
decrease in motivation and study hours, and various physical, mental, and economic
problems regarding academic studies were prominently found in this study. The
study findings concerning online education such as unavailability of electronic
devices, limited access to the internet, high cost of internet, low speed of
internet, and difficulties in using online platforms were also provided
valuable insights into the present scenario of online tertiary education in Bangladesh
as COVID-19 is continuing. It is recommended that necessary steps should be
taken to improve internet speed and provide free or cheaper internet packages
and technical training on online education to tertiary-level students in
Bangladesh in this COVID-19 period.