The sudden spread of COVID-19 in November of 2019 in Wuhan and its later spread on a global scale brought things into perspective for many of us.
People came to realize just how fragile the fabric of society is during the spread of the pandemic.
And now that the threat of a potential war looms over our heads due to international tensions mounting up, it further calls the viability and the necessity of transitioning to e-Learning into question.
This article deals with the opportunities and challenges related to transitioning to e-Learning from the perspective of the government, the business, and the user.
Government’s Perspective:
As has been proven by the two massively destructive world wars of the past and the current COVID-19 pandemic, schools make for great targets to cripple a country.
Schools are easy targets for enemy forces to both attacks with traditional weapons as well as with contagions like the Coronavirus.
There are no words that can be enough to describe the importance of the younger generation for a country.
Therefore, considering their safety, it will be wise of the government and the other authorities responsible to plan and promote e-Learning within the country.
This keeps the children safe and gives them more room to improve due to the interactive classes and other additional features.
As we have discussed on this blog before, India is a developing economy and it is not so easy to provide stable Internet connectivity everywhere with the current telecommunication infrastructure.
This infrastructure development will not only be crucial to the further development of online education in India but will also be core to the implementation of the Digital India scheme of the Government.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic had already brought the effectiveness and usefulness of e-Learning into perspective in recent years, it becomes logical for the government to not let this opportunity slip by.
Businesses’ Perspective:
The Coronavirus outbreak has proved to be a great promoter in the development of e-learning as a viable and effective alternative to classroom learning.
If the manifold increase in the user base of the various online learning providers, such as Byju’s, Vedantu, Toppr, Meritnation, and many more, in India alone has proven anything, it is that the lockdown is akin to a huge opportunity.
It is a huge opportunity for expanding your customer base as well as for further developing yourself to be a successful entrepreneur in the field of e-Learning.
The most prominent limitation in the path of benefitting from this opportunity is not knowing what you are dealing with.
The opportunities created by such unexpected and sudden incidents are just as inconsistent and erratic. There is no sure-shot way of gaining benefits that everyone can use.
Therefore, the most advisable thing to do in such situations is to innovate and experiment. Trial and error is the best way of discovering new ways to become successful.
Conducting adequate promotion on the right platforms and providing better quality goods and services than expected at competitive prices are some of the basics of laying the foundation for a sound business.
Another thing that an entrepreneur jumping into the pool of e-Commerce needs to be wary of is the severe competition.
Though the opportunities in conducting business are nigh endless, one must be able and willing to take the necessary risks to reap the attached benefits. As the adage goes, there are no free lunches in life.
Parent/Guardian’s Perspective
Every parent wants only the best for their child. However, the biggest barrier obstructing their path is generally the issue of limited finances.
With expenses mounting up while income remains stunted, the financial future seems even bleak for many during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Therefore, parents and guardians will choose to avoid any extra expenditure when looking at the academic options available.
Surveys state that a large number of people are seriously contemplating holding their wards back for this academic year and re-enrolling them when the pandemic blows over.
On the other hand, people are also feeling inclined to opt for e-Learning platforms to ensure that the academic rhythm does not break.
This raises the fundamental issue of choice, which is caused by the multitude of options available on the Internet. Thus, it becomes ever more difficult to find the best alternative for a child’s academic growth.
The arguments made in this article regarding the current status of the country, the preparations of the entrepreneurs, and the thoughts of the parents and guardians all hint towards the same thing: e-Learning.
All opportunities are meant to be liquidated and all challenges to be overcome. By this point, it is but a foregone conclusion that e-Governance, e-Business, and e-Learning are the future.
However, it will be up to us as a people to do our best to make the most out of the opportunity that arose from a calamity.
Let’s be optimistic! Let’s be progressive! Let’s be mindful!
