SWOT Analysis of Risk Communication during COVID-19 Responses in Ethiopian Higher Educations

Résumé

Abstract Background: this study aimed to evaluate the risk communication regarding COVID-19 preventions in Ethiopian higher education institutions. Ethiopia is one of the 213 countries which affected by COVID-19. Since it appeared in the country different risk responses are underway to minimize the impacts in different sectors of the country. Ethiopian higher educations are among those sectors that are affected by the pandemic. Universities engaged as a task force in the response process. Universities are engaged in the national response scheme. Every attempt to risk communication is an endeavor to tackle the impact that transcends across the globe. Methods: the study used the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis on the experiences of Ethiopian higher education, task force, risk communication response to COVID-19 pandemic since the announcement of the outbreak by WHO as a pandemic. The government put a huge effort in risk communication to reduce the impact of COVID-19. The data sources include research conducted by the university staffs, risk communication working papers prepared to the Ethiopian contexts, different websites and media sources were used. Web-search approach used to gather most important performances and challenges of higher education. Results: the findings show that higher education as a task force contributed to the national efforts based on research, humanitarian assistance, online meetings, E-learning and conferences. Research conducted focused on KAP’s. There were no clinical based research. The research by academicians are almost nil. E-learning is developed to support disrupted higher education in Ethiopia. Thus, postgraduate could be facilitated out of the campus through E-learning. However, the E-learning has the weakest to support undergraduate and even the postgraduate programs. Internet infrastructure and acculturation of students’ E-Learning are problematic.Conclusion: the total effort of risk communication at Ethiopian higher education is minimal and not well organized. The challenges are the remaining home works to the universities. I suggest that risk communication strategies and research based solutions have to be evaluated and revisited to curb the impacts of COVID-19 in higher education.

Citer ce document

Accès au document

Ce document est hébergé sur son dépôt institutionnel d'origine.

Auteur(s)

Statistiques

Consultations : 1

Téléchargements : 0