1.

1 Background
Recent survey data indicate that in 2018, only 52% of Sri Lankan households with
school-aged children owned a smartphone or computer – essential for online learning –
and only 40% had an internet connection, primarily via mobile phones (Figure 1). This
means that less than half of all households in Sri Lanka can benefit from e-learning
opportunities.

Before the pandemic: in 2018, public spending on education as a share of GDP

Sri Lanka was 2.1 %.
Whereas Nepal : 5.1 % of GDP ,
in Kenya was reported at 5.3062 % in 2018
in Tanzania was reported at 3.6964 % in 2018,
After the pandemic:

Acc to world bank data (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS?

end=2019&locations=LK-EG-MM&start=1987)

1.2Significance/ purpose
https://www.cgdev.org/blog/covid-19-and-girls-education-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-we-
expect-happen
Teachers Strikes:
.( Eleven education trade unions say that three union leaders and many others were illegally
detained at the quarantine centers after being arrested at protests last week. They say the
leaders and other protesters were pushed inside vehicles and taken away to the quarantine
centers as they walked out of courtrooms after having been released on bail. The Bar
Association of Sri Lanka has expressed concern that the right to peaceful protests is being
violated.)

Impacts on students :
.1.5
 Efforts taken by the Kerala State Education Department to ensure that all children are
engaged in learning, provides a good example. Online classes are made available on a
government-run education channel and YouTube, while a microfinance scheme has been
set up to provide 120,000 laptops to those who lack them. Online lessons are also
broadcasted on a dedicated television channel to cater to students without access to the
internet and devices. Additionally, to reach students’ households where no televisions are
available, the State plans to set up 50,000 ‘Neighbourhood Study Centres’ in selected
localities resourced with a television, through which educational programmes can be aired.
These efforts are also supplemented by textbooks and printed material delivered to
students’ homes.

 The Chilean Education Ministry, for example, collaborated with Google and Fundación
Chile – a technology company focusing on technology innovation and implementation – to
provide access and technical support to assist teachers in organising course content,
grading assignments, and communicating with students.
(https://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/2020/07/13/distance-education-during-and-after-covid-
19-long-road-ahead-for-sri-lanka/)