The digital divide by Parwat Portel

Photo: Parwat Portel/ photo.circle

In late March when Nepal went into lockdown to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions across the country shut down. For four months Nepal’s 8.2 million children were unable to attend school. Even before the pandemic, Nepal’s education system was already in crisis with low graduation rates, low attendance, high drop-out rates, insufficient resources, and overall stark inequity in the education sector. The crisis did fast-tracked distance learning in schools across Nepal, but it hasn’t been without challenges.

Photo: Parwat Portel/ photo.circle

This week, @photocircle_np 2020 grantee Parwat Portel @parwatportel7 reports on the issue of the digital divide from Jhapa. Portel explores stories from students and teachers of Dhulabari Secondary School, who are teaching online as well as through radio programs, to understand how schools are dealing with the challenges and rewards of distance learning.

Photo: Parwat Potel @parwatportel7

Text Edits: Mallika Aryal @mikaness

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