2025 IJRSE – Volume 14 Issue 16
Available Online: 3 November 2025
Author/s:
Singh, Ayushi
Early Childhood Development, Aga Khan Foundation, New Delhi, India (ayushis200@gmail.com)
Singh, Virendra Pratap*
National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi, India (vpsncert@gmail.com; vps_ncert@nic.in )
Abstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted educational systems worldwide, impacting over 276 million children in India alone. This study explores the challenges encountered by elementary school children in aspirational districts of India’s North-East region during the shift to virtual learning. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research engaged 372 participant community members and parents selected through simple random sampling across 20 schools with students in Classes VII and VIII during the 2022-23 academic year. The study identifies critical barriers to effective online education, including digital inequities, limited connectivity, and inadequate access to technology. It highlights the pivotal role of community engagement in mitigating these challenges, particularly through enhanced parent-teacher collaboration and resource mobilization. While virtual learning fostered new avenues for community involvement, it also intensified pre-existing educational disparities. The findings advocate for blended learning models and robust communication strategies to strengthen educational resilience, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Despite limitations in scope, participant diversity, and reliance on self-reported data, the study offers valuable insights for policymakers aiming to build inclusive and adaptive education systems in post-pandemic India.
Keywords: blended learning, community challenges, digital divide, parental involvement, virtual schooling
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25301
Cite this article:
Singh, A., & Singh, V. P. (2025). Exploring community challenges in virtual schooling: Insights from elementary schools in the North-East Region of India. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 14(16), 281-294. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25301
*Corresponding Author