A Survey on the Health and Financial Status of Private Educational Institutions in Afghanistan During COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Arash Nemat,1,2 Nahid Raufi,3 Mohammad Yasir Essar,4 Qingchun Zeng2 1Department of Microbiology, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan; 2Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Dermatology, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan; 4Medical Research Center, Kateb University, Kabul, AfghanistanCorrespondence: Arash NematDepartment of Microbiology, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, 3rd District, Jamal Mina, Kabul, 1001, AfghanistanTel [phone]Email [email protected]: The worldwide spread of the coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 has disrupted the world economy and the economy of Afghanistan as part of it. In addition, it has affected health and education in the country. The aim of this study is to highlight the damage the pandemic has done to private educational institutes in Afghanistan, in terms of finances, health and educational aspects. This is to draw attention to the setbacks the COVID-19 pandemic has caused to post-war (ie, post 2001) Afghan private education.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with the help of Afghanistan’s Educational Centers Association (AECA) members to analyze the impact of the COVID-19-related lockdown. The questionnaire for the survey was distributed through SurveyMonkey to founders of educational institutes. It included basic demographics, perception of and exposure to COVID-19 by the participants and the educational and financial state of their institutions. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 25.Results: Almost all participants who completed the questionnaire were male; 82% of them were under 35 years old, the others were older. Fifty-one percent obtained their COVID-19-related information through social media. Fifty-six percent confirmed that either they themselves or employees had tested positive with COVID-19. Eighty-seven percent of their educational institutes were not conducting any online classes. Only 2% received continued payment from their students. Five percent did not pay rent for their center’s lease. Regarding the economic damage during the lockdown period (March to July 2020) they encountered, 47% reported a loss of 2000– 5000$ with a decreasing amount of participants responding and an ascending amount of financial loss.Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant financial and educational loss to the private educational institutes in Afghanistan. The lockdown induced by it affected students’ fees transactions, induction of online classes, substantial financial loss, and it elevated the health crisis according to the founders of private educational institutes’ reports.Keywords: learning center, coronavirus, education crisis, survey, school, student

Keywords

• learning center
• coronavirus
• education crisis
• survey
• school
• student