ABSTRACT

The education sector is greatly affected by this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the need and importance of digital infrastructure is immensely highlighted in today’s difficult times. Students are experiencing transitions in their ways of learning, skills upgrading, and in coping with the associated mental and emotional stress. Quality of learning equipment (e.g. desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphones) used by the students, internet connectivity, and stable power supply are indispensable in a successful online mode of learning. Students with poor internet connectivity are at risk of getting low scores in online exams due to screen freezing, slowed and frequently disrupted internet connection. Student’s computer skills and attitude towards online classworks are also contributory factors as study results show that their computer skills and attitude also make a difference in their exam scores. The schools have a very important supportive role in helping leaners mitigate the adverse impact of the sudden shift from traditional face-to-face to online learning. Improving students’ access to quality learning equipment, adopting a feasible learning platform, enhancing students’ computer skills, and adopting a more client-centered approaches and caring attitude towards the learners can help alleviate the challenges brought about by the present crisis to the tertiary level education sector.

The national government may learn from other countries and replicate their workable practices to strengthen and augment the internet connectivity service to support online education both in urban and rural areas of Cambodia.

Keywords: COVID-19, online classes, learning equipment, utilities, digital infrastructure, internet connectivity, digital skills