Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic had a transforming impact on practices in every sector across the globe. During the lockdown, higher education in Bangladesh went through a transition and transformation in formulating policy and practice. This book chapter explores the higher education landscape of Bangladesh to understand socio-cultural and historical impacts on decision-making and practice despite the substantial academic losses incurred for many students due to delay in decision-making and choosing the alternative. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, initial expectations within the government and educational bodies leaned towards its temporary nature. However, as the pandemic persisted, private higher educational institutions were compelled to pivot to emergency remote teaching and learning methods, placing significant pressure on public universities to follow suit. Eventually, the government endorsed the continuation of higher education activities, albeit initially without assessment permissions. This chapter presents the challenges, lessons learned, and the transformation of higher education in Bangladesh during this emergency, shedding light on the digital transition and transformation that took place in response to the unforeseen educational challenges and changed people's views about digital teaching, learning and assessment.
Top1. Introduction
In the dynamic landscape of higher education in Bangladesh, marked by historical institutional disruptions stemming from political clashes among student factions, a socio-cultural tolerance for learning interruptions has become ingrained (Shohel et al., 2021a). The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, injected unforeseen complexity into the circumstances of in-person teaching and learning (Shohel et al., 2023). The government and many educational institutions initially anticipated the crisis as a brief disruption. However, the prolonged nature of the crisis compelled some private educational institutions to adopt emergency remote teaching and learning methods. This adaptation, in consequence, exerted significant pressure on public universities to pivot similarly, ultimately prompting the government to endorse the continuation of higher education activities, although initially without assessment permissions (Shohel et al., 2022a). After the pandemic, most universities developed and maintained their academic calendars to ensure that the academic sessions were completed on schedule. In addition, throughout the last decade, there has not been any long-term campus shutdown due to student conflict or political unrest. Moreover, to compensate for the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a few university authorities completed one or two semesters in 4 to 5 months rather than 6 months.
This chapter explores the transformative journey of higher education (HE) in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 crisis. Thus, it sheds light on the challenges faced by higher education institutions (HEIs), lessons learned, and the digital transition and transformation that unfolded in response to the unprecedented educational challenges. The government's endorsement, while a crucial step, came with its own set of complexities, particularly in the absence of assessment permissions. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted countless aspects of our lives, including education. As the world grappled with the impacts of the global pandemic, sectors across the globe, including education, witnessed profound shifts (Shohel et al., 2021b; Mukherjee & Maity, 2022; UNESCO, 2020). The education sector, in particular, faced widespread closures, affecting millions of learners globally, including in Bangladesh. In March 2020, Bangladesh confirmed its first case of coronavirus, which led the government to declare a 'general leave' for educational institutions. This measure was periodically extended until May 30, 2020. As a result, (HEIs) were closed, which put pressure on various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission (UGC), HE leaders and administrators, parents, and other pertinent bodies, to shift towards digital education (Khan & Abdou, 2021). It was a challenging task, but a necessary one to ensure that students could continue their studies without compromising their safety.
The subsequent reliance on online teaching and learning became a crucial lifeline for educational continuity, with both public and private universities in Bangladesh navigating this shift. However, the transition in policy and practice was not without challenges. Approximately 42 million students in Bangladesh found themselves grappling with the limitations of digital access, hindering the efficacy of virtual classes and raising concerns about the quality of distance learning (Chowdhury & Behak, 2022; UNICEF, 2020). Even as public universities tentatively embraced online classes, the digital divide and infrastructural disparities persisted, particularly in rural areas where internet access remained limited (Rouf et al., 2022; Mishra et al., 2020).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Socio-Cultural: Socio-cultural is the involvement in social interactions and activities structured according to cultural norms that influences psychological development (Scott & Palincsar, 2013).
Assessment: Assessment encompasses a variety of techniques used for gathering information about student performance (Johnsen, 1998).
Digital Transformation: Digital Transformation is the process of combining information, computing, communication, and connection with technologies to improve an entity by activating significant changes to its properties (Vial, 2021).
Quality Assurance: Quality assurance refers to a set of internal or external organisational rules, processes, systems, and practices intended to achieve, maintain, and improve quality (Williams, 2016).
Session Jams: In Bangladesh, "session jam" denotes the inability of public universities to maintain measures ensuring students' timely graduation. This prolonged disruption significantly hinders the academic functioning of universities, often stemming from extended closures due to political unrest or violence. Session jams result in delays in students' progress through their academic programs, impacting the overall educational landscape of the institutions involved.
Learning Losses: Learning losses refer to the decline or regression in academic performance, skills, knowledge, or educational progress experienced by students over a period of time. It happens typically due to factors such as extended school closures, disruptions in learning routines, or inadequate access to quality education resources.
Remote Teaching and Learning: Remote teaching and learning refers to the process of delivering educational instruction and facilitating learning experiences using digital technologies and communication tools, often conducted outside of traditional classroom settings.
Educational Disruptions: Educational disruption is defined as the phenomenon that occurs when a plan is made by a person or organisation and then interrupted by unforeseen circumstances (Panther et al., 2021).
Digital Transition: Digital transition refers to the process of converting an analogue system into a digital format that allows digital tools to simulate processes and activities (Rosário & Dias, 2022).