CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
December, 2019, was the month that Corona virus was discovered to be a major threat to health issue in the world. COVID-19 was discovered in China city, Wuham, many social activities were put on hold. According to Lawal and Nwegbu (2020), emerging viral infection broke in the city of Wuham, China. The World Health Organization (WHO) initially declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern and later upgraded it to a global pandemic; following its rapid diffusion to several to the advice of the international Health Regulation Emergency Committee, the Director-General of the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a public Health Emergency of International concern (PHEIC) on 30th January, 2020 and characterized it as a pandemic on 11th March, 2020.
Consequently, many nations including Nigeria started to observe the spread of the virus and eventually, Nigeria index case was recorded on 27th February, 2020 from Italian who return to Nigeria from a visit to Milan for holiday. In less than one month, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 declared total lockdown of the economy. Alani and Olanrewaju (2020), stated that one negative aspect of the pandemic is the lockdown in some parts of the country, noting that Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Ogun and Lagos which are epic centre were first declared for partial lockdown. The lockdown was a tool to contain the spread of the pandemic but it was harsh on the economic activities of the people. Among the economic activities affected were social events.
The outbreak of COVID 19 pandemic resulted to the closure of schools around the world. During this period, many initiatives were adopted to ensure that school children especially those in exit classes keep learning and studying. One major strategy was online learning. The online Learning has been in existence before COVID 19.This lead to the introduction online learning platforms through the internet. Online learning platforms are designed to assist students with learning activities using the internet. In online learning, the teachers and the students are connected to each other through electronic devices such as Zoom, Whatsaap, Google class, Facebook live and websites. .
Agostin and Nosella (2020), emphasis that the continual advancement in information can be transmitted in soft copy format and converted into hard copy format through printing. In clear terms of online learning, Eze, Chinedu-Eze, Okike and Adenike (2020), explained that online learning refers to computer-based e.g digital, videos, tablet, projector, operating system). Learning process which links digital contents, system-based administration and monitoring support and in the interaction of students and teachers, Michael (2009), noted that online learning is more or less a new form of education where students use their home computer through the support of the internet to study. Online learning is popular among people who want to work and learn. It is digital means of transmitting knowledge to the learner and it is readily available to learner with the help of the internet in form of audio, video and texts. According to Shola (2008), online education is electronically enhanced learning that basically uses the internet for its operation that allows teachers and students interact and distribute of class material. Tunmibi, Ayooluwa, Adejoba and Olanyi (2015), stated that the provision of an e-learning system is an important factor in providing a comprehensive ICT solutions within schools. Blackboard and other similar systems provide an easy to use, well structured medium to assist learning and teaching because students and teachers are able to access information from anywhere around the world.
Statement of the Problem
School curriculum was interrupted during the lockdown. This made delivery of academic system to be put on hold. These challenges had no disruptive effect on the educational delivery system through implementation of curriculum. Like COVID-19 pandemic which caused more harm in the implementation of curriculum in the secondary schools in the country during the lockdown. As a result of the pandemic, schools were shut down for more than eight months which is almost an academic session. On this note, the study seeks to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on delivery system of education in secondary schools in Ethiope East LGA during the period.
Pokhrel and Chhetric (2021), noted that there is paradigm shift in the way educators deliver quality education through various online platforms. The online learning, distance and continuing education have become a panacea for this unprecedented global pandemic, despite the challenges posed to both educator and learners. However, the measurement of the adoption of online learning during lockdown is the level of academic performance among the students. Before the school close down, online learning has been seen as a very important platforms for learning. What was not ascertain is that the level of academic performance of secondary school children in Nigeria base on the introduction of online learning during the lockdown. Therefore, this study seeks to identify impact of COVID 19 on academic delivery system in secondary school inEthiope East Local Government Area.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study
- What are the problems encountered by students during the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown in Secondary schools in Ethiope East LGA?
- What is are the challenges of educational delivery system during COVID 19 pandemic lockdown on academic performance insecondary schools in Ethiope East LGA?
- What are the strategies to improve educational delivery system during post-COVID 19 period in secondary schools in Ethiope East LGA?
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on educational delivery in secondary schools in Delta State. Specifically, the following are the purposes.
- To examine the problems encountered by students during COVID 19 Pandemic lockdown in Secondary schools in Ethiope East LGA.
- To examine the challenges of educational delivery system during COVID 19 lockdown on academic performance in secondary schools in Ethiope East LGA
- To examine the strategies on how to improve educational delivery system during post-COVID 19 period in secondary schools in Ethiope East LGA
Delimitation/Scope of the Study
The conceptual scope of the study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic educational delivery system in secondary schools Ethiope East LGA. The study periodic frame covers a period on two years. That is for 2019/2020 academic session.
1.7 Significance of the Study
The study would benefit school administrators, secondary school students and academic researchers. First, school administrators and teacher will benefit from this study because the outcome will help them understand how disruption of curriculum can affect implementation of the curriculum and students performance. The study will further be of help to students as a way to take advantage of personal reading as a measure to curb disruption in the school curriculum implementation. Finally, the study would be reference materials to academicians
1.8 Operational Definition of the Study
Curriculum: Curriculum is conceived to be all learning experiences a child or students who are under a guidance of a teacher received within a period of time for human development
COVID-19: This is a novel virus in the family of SARS virus that spread through human droplet.
Students: This is a person or a learner in an academic or educational institution of learning that a teacher teaches using school curriculum.
Secondary Schools: This is the tier two level of educational system in Nigeria. It is regarded as post primary school education where students are give SSCE certificate.
