Online teaching and learning became especially visible during the COVID-19 period, when institutions and governments invested heavily in digital education. In many places, online education was presented as the most practical way to maintain continuity in teaching and learning.

Online education refers to forms of distance learning that take place over the internet through connected platforms. For learners who are self-disciplined, organised, and able to manage their time well, it can be a highly effective alternative. It can also offer greater flexibility, allowing people to combine study with other responsibilities when needed.

When people discuss the strengths of online learning, they often point to its convenience, including:

  • no commuting or travel time to campus;
  • fewer geographic barriers;
  • easier access to discussion with instructors;
  • easier access to digital resources;
  • and potential cost savings for both students and institutions.

These are real advantages. But they remain conditional on one key factor: actual internet access.

That means more than simply having a platform or a policy. It depends on:

  • stable connectivity;
  • affordable mobile data;
  • access to appropriate devices;
  • reliable electricity;
  • and the practical ability of students and teachers to stay connected.

This is where many contexts, especially across parts of Africa and other low-resource settings, face their greatest difficulty. The lack of access, whether for financial or logistical reasons, can exclude students from online classes and prevent institutions from delivering teaching materials effectively.

Digital literacy is also part of the issue. According to the World Bank, a large number of jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030. In that sense, online education can be part of a broader response, but only if its infrastructural prerequisites are taken seriously.

So the central question is not only whether online education is desirable, but whether the material conditions required to make it meaningful are in place. Without that, digital education risks deepening inequalities rather than reducing them.

References

Fedynich, L. V. (2007). Teaching beyond the classroom walls: The pros and cons of cyber learning. http://www.aabri.com/copyright.html.

Kumar, D. (2010). Pros and Cons of Online Education.

Stern, J. (n.d.). Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning. http://www.sloan-c.org/resources/index.asp

Volery, T., & Volery Professor at Lyon, T. E. (2000). Critical success factors in online education. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540010344731

WorldBank. (2020). Africa’s future is bright and digital. https://blogs.worldbank.org/digital-development/africas-future-bright-and-digital