Impact of Lockdown During Covid-19 on The Teaching and Learning Process in
Secondary Schools in Hhohho Region, Eswatini.
BY
SELULIWE GAMA
A Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
education
Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) Secondary
In
Humanities
of the
Faculty of Education
University of Eswatini
January 2023
Supervisor
Dr Yinusa A. Faremi
COPYRIGHT
Permission has been granted to the Library of the University of Eswatini to lend copies of this
research project report
The author reserves other publication rights and neither the project nor extensive extracts from
it may be printed or reproduced without the author’s permission.
Copyright © Seluliwe Gama,2023
DEDICATION
This project is dedicated to my husband, mother and my late father for their support and
influence in my academic journey.
i
ACKOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to sincerely thank my supervisor Dr.Y.A.Faremi for dedicating
his time to guiding me throughout my project, it would have not been possible without your
help.
I would also like to thank my husband, family and friend Siphosethu for motivating and
encouraging me, I do not know what I would be without your support, may God bless you all.
ii
ABSTRACT
The period of lockdown was not an easy one for everyone because during lockdown the world
was brought to a standstill, schools as well as other organizations had to close during the
period of lockdown. This study examines the Impact of lockdown during covid-19 on the
teaching and learning process in secondary schools in the Hhohho region of ESwatini. This
study employed the interpretivist research paradigm and adopted the phenomenological
research design. Purposive sampling technique was used to select four teachers and six
learners who witnessed lockdown during covid-19 in the Hhohho region of Eswatini. Ten
participants from two secondary schools were interviewed and data was analysed using the
thematic analysis method. Findings from the study revealed that lockdown affected the teaching
process negatively as teachers lacked skills, gadgets and they were psychologically unstable
during lockdown break. The study revealed that lockdown affected the learning process
negatively as many learners lacked online learning gadgets which resulted in learning losses,
they lacked support from home, and they struggled with mental issues during lockdown. The
study also revealed that private schools offered support while government schools did not
receive much support. Teachers and learners revealed that they struggled during online classes
mostly due to lack of training, lack of resources necessary for online teaching and learning.
The study concluded that lockdown during covid-19 had a negative impact on the teaching and
learning process. Further research should be conducted on the Impact of Lockdown during
Covid-19 on the teaching and learning process in Secondary Schools in Eswatini since this
study was only restricted to only two Secondary schools in the Hhohho region of Eswatini
Keywords: Lockdown,Covid-19, online teaching and learning, digital learning and remote
learning.
iii
iv
COPYRIGHT .......................................................................................................................... iii
ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................. iii
DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................... i
ACKOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... ii
List of Tables ......................................................................................................................... viii
CHAPTER ONE ...................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1
1.1.
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1
1.2.
Background to the study ....................................................................................... 1
1.3.
statement of the problem ...................................................................................... 7
1.4.
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................. 8
1.5.
Objective of the study ............................................................................................ 8
1.6.
Research questions; ............................................................................................... 8
1.7.
significance of the study ........................................................................................ 8
1.8.
limitations of the study .......................................................................................... 9
1.9.
Delimitations of the study ..................................................................................... 9
1.10
. Definition of terms ............................................................................................... 9
1.11
Chapter summary ................................................................................................ 10
CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................... 11
LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................................. 11
2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 11
2.2 Theoretical framework ............................................................................................ 11
2.3 Research gap ............................................................................................................. 19
2.4 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................... 20
CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................... 21
RESEARCH METHODOLOY ........................................................................................ 21
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3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 21
3.2 Research Paradigm .................................................................................................. 21
3.3 Research approach ................................................................................................... 21
3.4 Research design ........................................................................................................ 22
3.5 Area of Study ............................................................................................................ 22
3.6 Population ................................................................................................................. 22
3.7 Sampling .................................................................................................................... 22
3.8 Trustworthiness ........................................................................................................ 23
3.9 Data collection procedure ........................................................................................ 24
3.10 Pilot study ................................................................................................................ 25
3.11 Data analysis procedure ......................................................................................... 26
3.12 Chapter summary ................................................................................................... 26
CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................................................................... 27
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS ........................................... 27
4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 27
4.2 Demographic Profile of respondents ...................................................................... 27
4.3 Presentation of findings ........................................................................................... 28
4.4 Learner’s views on the impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region. .......................................... 32
4.5 Support put in place by the school management to ensure that learning continue
during lockdown and even in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic........................... 33
4.6 Challenges faced by teachers and learners during lockdown that affect the
teaching and learning process ....................................................................................... 35
4.7 Discussion of results ................................................................................................. 38
4.8 Learner’s views on the impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region. .......................................... 39
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4.9 Support put in place by the school management to ensure that teaching and
learning continue during Covid-19 lockdown.............................................................. 40
4.10 Challenges faced by teachers and learners during lockdown that affect the
teaching and learning process ....................................................................................... 41
4.11 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................. 42
SUMMARY,CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ......................................... 43
5.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 43
5.1 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 43
5.2 Summary of findings ................................................................................................ 43
5.2 conclusion .................................................................................................................. 44
5.3 Recommendations..................................................................................................... 45
3.13 References ............................................................................................................... 46
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List of Tables
Table 4.1 Category for Teachers…………………………………………………………27
Table 4.2 Category for leaners……………………………………………………………28
Table 4.3 Presentation of findings………………………………………………………..29
viii
Commented [DFY1]: You have to indicate the pages
List of Appendices
Appendix 1.
Interview guide for teachers……………………………………...52
Appendix 2.
Interview guide for learners………………………………………54
Appendix 3.
Inform consent form……………………………………………...56
Appendix 4.
Data Collection Letter……………………………………………57
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Commented [DFY2]: Indicate the pages
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Introduction
It goes without saying that the covid-19 pandemic is one of the most serious challenges the
whole world has ever faced in recent times. It has affected every aspect of human life very
negatively including the education system, this research paper seeks to explore the impact of
Covid-19 pandemic on the education system of Hhohho region, Eswatini. The first chapter will
provide an overview of the study, focusing mainly on the background to the study, statement
of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, limitations
of the study, delimitations of the study, definition of terms as well as chapter summary.
1.2. Background to the study
Covid -19 can be defined as a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection caused by
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, which is characterized mainly by fever and
cough and is capable of progressing to severe symptoms and in some cases death, especially in
older people and those with underlying health conditions. According [WHO] (2021), the virus
spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with each other, for example at a
conversational distance. The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small
liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. Another person can then
contract the virus when infectious particles that pass through the air are inhaled at short range
or if infectious particles come into direct contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth. A person can
simply get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and touching their
own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.
Due to how deadly this virus is and how quick and easy it spread, something needed to be done
urgently as an attempt to avoid its spread hence avoiding the rise of number of deaths which
results from Covid-19 and that is when the decision of enforcing lockdown came about, as a
way to avoid people from being in close contact with each other which is the main vehicle for
the transmission of Covid-19 (Sault,2020). Given everything that has happened in the past two
years, one can conclude that lockdown became peoples’ worst nightmares because it meant the
shutting down of schools and businesses which resulted to many losing their jobs.
Life has never been the same ever since the World Health Organization (WHO) pronounced
COVID-19 a global pandemic on 11 March 2020.The past two years, since the World Health
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Organization declared Covid-19 a deadly global pandemic, the education system has been hit
hard, especially that of developing countries. Covid-19 has turned the world upside down,
affecting every aspect of life, education is no exception (UNESCO,2020).
It is undeniable that covid-19 took the whole world by surprise and most countries, especially
third world countries were never ready for the drastic life changes covid-19 brought, many
countries including Eswatini proved to have no solid plan in hand for situations like this, hence
it took us a long time to adapt to the new normal. The virus has not only resulted to a dramatic
loss of human life but has also caused fear, anxiety and uncertainty about future endeavors to
many. Covid-19 has altered the lifestyle of individuals in every way possible, forcing everyone
to adapt to the new normal.
The global education system was especially impacted because of the fact that this virus spreads
rapidly through close contact. This makes students and teachers especially vulnerable because
schools are a place where large groups of students and teachers congregate in close proximity.
Therefore, when the World Health Organization [WHO] announced that one of the best ways
to curb the spread of the virus is to maintain a social distance of at least one and a half meters
between individuals, governments around the world made the call to temporarily discontinue
face to face teaching and learning which has also led to quite a number of challenges (Ahamad
et al.,2020).
Schleicher (2020) state that students from privileged backgrounds with full support from their
parents are at an advantage of accessing education even under unfortunate circumstances.
However, it is the opposite for students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, for them
school closure means no access to education due to lack of resources. Schleicher (2020) also
state that, covid-19 has exposed many inadequacies and inequities in our education systems,
from access to the broadband and computers needed for online education and the supportive
environments needed to focus on learning up to the misalignment between resources and needs.
While the educational community have made concerted efforts to maintain learning continuity
during this period, children and students have had to rely more on their own resources to
continue learning remotely through the Internet, television or radio and as stated before, some
students are more likely not to benefit from this teaching strategy, for example, students in the
most marginalized groups, who don’t have access to digital learning resources or lack the
resilience and engagement to learn on their own, are at risk of falling behind, added Schleicher.
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Lockdown due to Covid-19 really had a negative impact on the education system, affecting
teachers, students as well as parents in every way possible, it caused so much stress on both
teachers and students thus affecting their mental health, all this has a negative effect on the
teaching and learning process because when teachers and students are psychological disturbed,
effective teaching and learning is unlikely to take place. Students and teachers experienced
grief from losing their loved once (parents, children, peers. etc.), the pressure that comes with
online learning and the anxiety that comes with missing out on school activities because of lack
of resources also caused so much stress on students (Santamaria et al.,2021). The sudden
teaching and learning change brought by Covid-19 took a huge toll on parents’ mental health
as well because it meant that now parents had to turn into teachers, something that is not easy
to do especially without any training. It is true that some parents were able to assist their kids
with schoolwork during Lockdown, however, some do not have adequate level of education to
do so even if they wish they could something that can be stressful to both parents and students
as a result affecting their mental health.
According to Gresham (2021), school closures due to COVID-19 brought significant
disruptions to education across Europe. At the peak of the pandemic, about 45 countries across
Europe and Central Asia region closed their schools, affecting millions of students. Given the
suddenness of the situation, teachers and administrations were unprepared for this transition
and were forced to build emergency remote learning systems almost immediately as means to
keep teaching and learning going during this challenging time of Covid-19. However,
emergency remote learning systems presented short comings, something that is expected when
things are not properly planned. One of the shortcomings was the lack of personal interaction
between teacher and students something which is impossible with broadcasts and also lack of
resources to effectively implement remote learning. Gresham added that on the brighter side,
several countries showed initiative by using other methods to improve the remote educational
experience, including social media, email, telephone, and even the post office.
Suresh (2021) Assert that Lockdown due to covid-19 pandemic has affected the Indian
education system to its core, all educational activities were negatively affected. For example,
school admission, examinations as well as entrance tests had to be put on hold during that
period. According to Suresh, teaching and learning had to be shifted from physical to online,
which meant that students had to now attend their classes through various initiatives like online
3
classrooms as well as radio programs. However, only a few numbers of schools could afford
to make the transition to online learning resulting to government and low-income private
schools completely shutting down (Rawal,2021).
The shift from physical to online learning in India presented number of challenges for both
teachers and students as well as parents. Suresh state that the transitioning to online learning
did not only force students to become adept at using online platforms overnight, but it also
resulted on students from disadvantaged backgrounds missing out on school activities due to
lack of funds to buy gadgets needed for accessing online learning.
Teachers on the other hand also had to adapt to new pedagogical concepts and modes of
delivery of teaching, for which they may not have been trained. For example, Ramal (2021)
states that in India both teachers and students faced a lot of challenges during the course of
online education such as lack of basic facilities, external distraction and family interruption
during teaching. He went on to add that educational institution support barriers such as the
budget for purchasing advanced technologies, a lack of teachers and learners’ training, a lack
of technical support and a lack of clarity and direction were also noticed.
Ayerakwa (2020) states that Lockdown due to covid-19 pandemic affected the education
system of Ghana both positively and negatively. According to Ayerakwa, Curriculum activities
such as teaching and learning, conducting and writing of examinations were disrupted due to
school closure. Since the academic calendar was not completed before the closure of schools
which exposed the unfair situation in schools where most parts of the country lack amenities
that promote and motivate digital and e-learning which was introduced by the Ministry of
Education and the Ghana Education Service.
Many students became more of passive learners than active learners, and many more were left
to their own fate because they did not have equal opportunities as their counterparts do. While
students who come from rich homes and the cities have several chances to learn either on
smartphones, computer whereas it is the opposite from those who come from poor households
with no electricity not to mention cellphones. Due to lack of electricity and good network, a lot
more students from the remote than those in the cities did not benefit at all.
The closure of schools in Ghana due to covid-19 has also resulted to a higher number of teenage
pregnancy (Ebenezar,2020).
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On the brighter side though, Ayerakwa added that Corona virus improved the hygiene of both
students and teachers. Prior to Covid-19 students knew what personal hygiene is, but it is
undeniable that majority of students never practiced it in its fullest glory until covid-19
pandemic broke out.
In addition to the above, Covid-19 brought about the utilization of innovative methods of
teaching, Before Covid-19, schools in Ghana, even most of the top universities had not known
what online education, otherwise known as e-learning is.
Judging from the above information, it is evident that ever since the discontinuation of face-toface teaching and learning, things have not been looking good for the education system of most
countries around the world, mostly 3rd world countries since such countries do not have enough
resources to effectively implement suitable teaching and learning strategies to cater for all
students’ educational needs during such difficult times, this include effective implementation
of online learning to benefit all students(Thomas,2020).
Like the rest of the world, Eswatini education system has too been severely affected by the
COVID-19 pandemic, which led to schools’ closure between March 2020 and March 2021.
There was a brief, short-lived period when schools re-opened in March 2021, before closing
again in July to date due to new and more deadly Covid -19 variants .The prolonged closure of
schools in Eswatini has resulted to a lot of challenges which are a threat to the teaching and
learning process (Nkambule,2020).
Ever since the discontinuation of face-to-face teaching and learning, things have not been
looking good for the education system of Eswatini mostly due to lack of resources to effectively
implement suitable teaching and learning strategies to cater for all students’ educational needs
during such challenging times, this includes effective implementation of online learning to
benefit all students. However, even though there are some schools in Eswatini (less than a
handful of them) which proved to have successfully shift to online learning, Suresh state that
it is undeniable that online learning could not substitute the immersive experience of School
education due to the fact that a student’s overall psychosocial development takes place in
school through engagement, communication, group work and playing with peers, something
that cannot happen online.
Lockdown due to COVID-19 greatly affected the teaching and learning process in schools all
around Swaziland. Educational access, experiences and outcomes for the vulnerable children
in the Eswatini were bound to be greatly affected (Motsa,2021). Motsa states that in Eswatini,
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Lockdown due to covid-19 pandemic has exposed the inequalities in the educational spaces,
therefore such issues had to be prioritized and effective permanent measures had to be taken to
ensure that no student missed out on education during the period of Lockdown just because
they come from disadvantaged backgrounds. On the issue of inequalities, in Eswatini, private
schools such as Enjabulweni and Usutu Forest High School, students managed to continue with
their studies during the period of Lockdown, this was done through the use of digital platforms
such as Zoom and Google classes, students from the public schools remained home with
no access to educational resources (Mlangeni,2020).Private school Matric students were
able to even write their final year exams in 2021 because their parents could afford to buy them
all the needed gadgets they need in order to access online learning whereas students who
attends government schools did not have that privilege due to lack of resources.
The future of every country depends on this generation so by prioritizing education through
implementation of effective teaching and learning strategies that will benefit all learners would
do good for the country too not just the students. This is not to suggest that the Government of
Eswatini did not implement any strategies to ensure that students continue with their classes
during the course of Lockdown. Digital/remote learning through the use of radio, WhatsApp,
YouTube and television are some of the strategies implemented by Eswatini Government as
means to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning during the period of Lockdown
(Nkambule,2020). However, those strategies proved not to be a successful because most of
the students who were meant to benefit from those lessons did not because they come from
disadvantaged backgrounds, which means that they lack resources needed to access such
learning platforms.
The Government of Eswatini also prolonged the academic year as means to make up for the
time lost, the curriculum has been fused in such a way that students can be able to cover or
learn important content they might have missed from their previous grades since all students
were promoted to the next grade in 2021 (world bank,2021). All this has been done as an
attempt to close the educational gaps caused by Covid-19 on the educational system of
Eswatini.
To sum up, there is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic’s suddenness shocked the entire
education system to the core. Without any preparations, academic institutions had to halt all
learning activities to preserve students’ safety. Teachers also had to readjust teaching practices
to meet new health regulations something that negatively affected the education system of
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schools in Eswatini and around the globe, so conducting this study is very important as it will
help get a clear picture of how the teaching and learning process of Secondary Schools in the
Hhohho region was impacted by Lockdown.
1.3. statement of the problem
It is every child’s right to have access to a good quality education. However, access to good
quality education is not the end of it. The students need to be in a position to perform well in
their studies. It is important to note that the performance of students is a product of several
factors which include psychological, socio-economic and environmental factors (Earl,2002).
lockdown during Covid-19’s negative effect on the education system of Eswatini robbed many
students of the right to accessing good quality education.
The immediate discontinuation of face-to-face classroom interaction due to the pandemic
caused so many challenges in the teaching and learning process in Eswatini and those
challenges will have long lasting effects. The immediate and prolonged closure of schools in
Eswatini exposed the pre-existing educational inequalities more especially that of the delivery
and access to quality education. Government schools mostly those in rural areas were hit hard
by the closure of schools because for many students, discontinuation of traditional face to face
classroom learning meant no access to education due to lack of resources to access education
through online learning. The past two years since covid-19 was proclaimed a pandemic has
been the worst for the education system of Eswatini, learning losses and the deterioration
quality of education are mostly experienced due to the sudden shift to online learning
something that both teachers and students were clearly not ready for (Dlamini, 2020).
The effort by the government of the country to keep learners on board with learning during
Lockdown cannot be overlooked. The government of Eswatini tried to provide lessons through
digital media which has been viewed as the best option during lockdown. However, that has
proven not to be enough to close the learning gaps. This study will therefore explore the impact
of Lockdown on the teaching and learning process in Secondary schools in the Hhohho region
because given the recentness of covid-19, very few studies have been written on this topic in
Eswatini and those that are there have very limited information hence this study will attempt
to fill in the void.
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1.4. Purpose of the Study
This study aims at determining the impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process in secondary schools in the Hhohho region, Eswatini.
1.5. Objective of the study
The main objective of this study is to analyze the Impact of lockdown during covid-19 on the
teaching and learning process in secondary Schools in the Hhohho region of Eswatini.
The objectives of this study are to:
1.5.1
Examine teachers’ views on the impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the
teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region.
1.5.2
Examine students’ views on the impact of Lockdown during covid-19 On the
teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region
1.5.3
Determine support put in place by the school management to ensure that teaching
and learning continue to take place during lockdown.
1.5.4
Determine the challenges faced by teachers and learners during lockdown that
affected the teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region
1.6. Research questions;
The project seeks to answer the following questions:
1.6.1
What are teachers’ views on the impact of lockdown during covid-19 on the
teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region?
1.6.2
What are students’ views on the impact of lockdown during covid-19 On the
teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region?
1.6.3
What support measures did the school management put in place to ensure that
teaching and learning continue to take place during lockdown?
1.6.4
What challenges did teachers and learners face during lockdown that affected the
teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region?
1.7. Significance of the study
It is hoped that the findings of the study will help discover how the teaching and learning
process was affected during the period of Lockdown in Secondary Schools in the Hhohho
Region. This will then help both the government and educational stake holders come up with
strategies to try and meet the needs of both teachers and students as well as coming up with
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strategies to ensure that every student get access to education regardless of their background
because at this point it seems as though only students from privileged homesteads were the
only ones on board with their studies during the period of lockdown during covid-19.
With all the information that will be generated from this research paper in regard to digital
learning and its challenges, it is hoped that Government will then prioritize it in form of
providing necessary resources not even for this Covid period but for the future because the
whole world is now digitized and moving towards fourth industrial revolution.
1.8. Limitations of the study
This study was only conducted in two schools in the Hhohho region therefore the results will
not be generalized to the whole country. The researcher would have loved to conduct the study
across different regions of the country, however, due to the limitation of time, this will not be
possible.
1.9. Delimitations of the study
This study was restricted to only two High schools in the Hhohho region in Eswatini. Two
teachers and three students who witnessed covid-19 will be interviewed from each school,
bringing the total number of interviewees to ten. The study is restricted to the period of Covid19 in 2020-2021.
1.10 . Definition of terms

Covid-19- It is a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection caused by severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, an acute disease in humans caused by a
coronavirus, which is characterized mainly by fever and cough and is capable of
progressing to severe symptoms and in some cases death, especially in older people
and those with underlying health conditions.

Digital learning- is the acquisition of knowledge which takes place through electronic
technologies and media, it is whereby teaching, and learning is conducted on the
Internet, where students can access their learning materials online at any place and
time.

Remote Learning- it is whereby teaching, and learning does not physically take place
in a traditional classroom environment, but rather through, Information is relayed
through technology/ online.
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
Online learning- this is whereby students learn in a fully virtual environment, no
face-to-face classroom interactions.
1.11 Chapter summary
This chapter was merely an introduction to the study which is aimed at examining the impacts
of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the education system of Eswatini, specifically in the Hhohho
region. The chapter outlined the statement of the problem, limitation and delimitations of the
study, significance of the study and also presented research questions.
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
This chapter focused on the theory to be used in conducting this study and also focus on
empirical studies.
2.2 Theoretical framework
2.2.1 Social Cognitive Learning Theory
This study was based on the social cognitive learning theory developed by a famous
psychologist, Albert Bandura in 1977 first as the social learning theory and later evolved into
the Social cognitive theory in 1986 (Nabavi,2011). Social cognitive learning theory is a theory
of learning and social behaviour which proposed that new behaviours can be acquired by
observing and imitating others. According to the social cognitive learning theory, learning is a
cognitive process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely through observation
of some behaviour (Bandura,2016). In addition to the observation of behaviour, learning also
occurs through the observation of rewards and punishments. When a particular behaviour was
rewarded regularly, it would most likely persist; conversely, if a particular behaviour was
constantly punished it would most likely seize (McLeod,2016).
Social cognitive learning theory (Bandura, 2016) was built on an understanding of the
interaction that occurs between individuals and their environment. It acknowledges that this
interaction is delicate and complex and can be influenced by both structural and social factors.
Social norms in particular, represent an important element for the promotion of behaviour
change. Behaviour was seen to be affected by personal cognitive factors, which were
influenced by the environment. Three cognitive factors are especially significant: observational
learning, expectations, and self-efficacy (Amankwah-Poku,2017)
This theory is relevant to this study because the Social cognitive theory focuses on teaching
and learning through various forms of social interaction, this theory is strongly rooted in the
belief that the environment plays a major role in how students learn so basically what happens
in the environment affects the process of teaching and learning. This theory is ideal for
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conducting this study as it helped unpack the effects of lockdown during Covid-19 on the
process of teaching and learning. The social cognitive learning theory is about learning matters
and this study also focuses on matters that affect the process of teaching and learning which in
this case is the impact of lockdown during covid-19. Covid-19 greatly influenced the social
process for example interaction; Covid-19 made it impossible for students to interact directly
which resulted to teaching and learning to be conducted online which affected the process of
teaching and learning very negatively.
2.2.2 Teacher’s views on the impact of lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process.
Ever since the implementation of Lockdown, schools around the world had no other option but
to transition to emergency distance teaching and learning as means to collect the fast spread of
COVID-19. However, the transition from conventional classroom instruction to remote
learning has been a taxing one on teachers.
Due to the national COVID-19 regulations, schools in Austria had to shut down with immediate
effect, this meant that now teachers in Austria were forced to adapt to the new normal and
implement forms of teaching that were rarely or not at all used before Covid-19. Austrian
teachers had to become familiar with the newly inverted or introduced teaching methods that
could be put into practice during distance teaching. The first closing of the schools from March
to May especially were the hardest as they posed numerous difficulties for all educational staff
(Kast, et al.,2021).
One of the reasons why teachers had so much trouble transitioning from traditional classroom
setting to remote learning is that the change was so sudden, and most teachers were not
prepared for such big change, many lacked the skill to implement digital teaching formats, they
had little to no idea on how to use digital media to effectively teach students. Lack of teacher
training on how to use digital media was the main reason why teachers ended up being in such
an unlikely situation in schools around Austria (Kim & Asbury,2022).
Merga et al. (2021) in their study (Teachers’ perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on writing
instruction in Australia) states that in Australia just like in all schools around the globe, Covid
-19 has greatly affected the education system of the country. In their study, they mainly focused
on how the education interruption which resulted from Covid-19 has affected the writing of
instruction in primary school aged children. Merga state that Writing skill instruction in
12
primary school is vital for establishing a functional foundation in a literacy dimension that is a
cornerstone for communicative competence, both in the early years and beyond. Teachers
stated that prevalence of covid-19 proved to have interrupted writing skills in primary schools,
the findings of the study showed that online learning made it difficult to give special attention
to students who needed. It important to note that students absorb information or learn
differently, they have different learning abilities hence it is important to treat every student as
an individual. However, due to remote learning that proved to be difficult.
In Merga’s study, teachers pointed out that in most cases students lacked parental support in
doing their homework, something that they needed the most since they cannot go to school for
face-to-face lessons. Instead of assisting their kids in doing their homework which might have
helped with their writing skills, parents ended up being the ones who write the homework for
their kids. Students and teachers’ readiness for online learning also posed a challenge for
students to obtain writing skills.
In a study conducted by Dlamini (2020) on the reflection on History Education in higher
education in Eswatini during COVID-19. In his study, Dlamini stated that prior to Covid-19,
very few schools had adopted blended learning. however, due to prevalence of covid-19 which
led to Lockdown in the country, the entire teaching method had change to accommodate the
new normal, which meant that teaching and learning had to happen online which according to
Dlamini had an impact on History education as well as history teachers.
Dlamini added that the amount of work done during lockdown was solely dependent on the
individual history educator's ability to embrace technology which put so much pressure on
history teachers because they lacked training on how to go about teaching online. Most were
largely dependent on social media to post lessons and resources for their students while others
used Google Classroom and Zoom to interact with students. Teachers low level of familiarity
with remote teaching and learning increased staff stress and anxiety
2.2.3 Student’s Views on the impact of lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process
In order for students to perform well in their schoolwork their mental health is of high
importance, covid-19 however messed up with students’ mental health, resulting to them losing
focus on their schoolwork. It is undeniable that Covid-19 has led to a rise in fear, anxiety,
stress, and depression among students and the population at large. School closure worsened the
situation, it got many students constantly worried about their future, whether they will be able
13
to reach their goals or perform to their greatest potential as they now had to learn on their own
with no teacher in front of them as how it used to be in the traditional classroom setting
(Rodriguez et al.,2020).
To add on the above, school closure meant that students had to stay home 24 hours a day with
no change of scenery, that alone can be stressful to students. Students found staying at home
the whole day to be stressful to them because even though they had to learn online, in most
cases you would find out that the situation at home is not a friendly one, could it be family
personal matters or unavailability of resources needed in order for students to access online
learning (Chaturvedi et al., 2020). In addition to that, some students stated that they find it very
hard to concentrate during their online lessons, learning from home becomes a burden to them
because they have to balance between household chores and schoolwork which is difficult
given the amount of work that comes with online learning. It is even worse when there is little
or no support from home (Ahmed, 2020).
It is without doubt that the worldwide education has been severely affected following the
shutdown of face-to-face learning due to Covid-19 which resulted to a shift to online learning.
The shift/interruption to education has not been a smooth one on students, especially those who
come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Online learning requires students to have all the
necessary tools in order for them to effectively access online learning, this includes smart
phones, laptop/computer, and internet connection to name a few. In India, most students lacked
most of the above-mentioned necessities which are needed to access online learning, which
meant that they had to miss out on school just because they cannot afford. This too had a
negative impact on the teaching and learning process in India (Hoffman & Secord,2021)
In India it was reported that students experienced hardship with the shift from traditional
classes to online learning, some students complained that online classes demotivated them so
much, it made them to be less serious, they attend for the sake of attending, the motivation was
not there. They stated that this was due to the fact that online classes were less lively, the
atmosphere is not friendly and also the lack of social interaction made the situation worse. In
addition to that, students felt that when teaching takes place online, teachers do not teach
effectively they just overload them with information so that they can finish the syllabus
(Nambiar,2020).
In a study conducted by (Barrot et al.,2020) in Philippines, he revealed that most students that
were interviewed when conducting his study faced so many challenges from the sudden shift
14
to online learning due to lockdown which resulted from covid-19. Students stated that most of
their challenges were linked to their home environment, they faced many destructions while
attending to online lessons. This alone made concentrating on their schoolwork difficult.
Another finding of Barrot’s study is that due to the discontinuation of face-to-face teaching and
learning, studying from home resulted to students being bored, lacking motivation to complete
their tasks as well experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety, which all had a negative
impact on their learning experience.
Looking at University student’s perceptions on online teaching and learning under covid-19 in
Ghana, (Maatuk et al.,2022) reported that students faced two major challenges which made it
difficult for them to attend or participate in online classes and these are poor network
connectivity and the high cost of internet data. However, those were not the only problems
students faced. Other challenges Ghana University’s students faced included lack of a wellstructured timetable suitable for online learning and unstable electricity which is important to
support online teaching and learning.
According to Motsa, in Eswatini, the impacts of Covid-19 greatly affected students especially
vulnerable children. The closure of schools meant no education for vulnerable students mainly
because they lacked necessary learning tools needed for remote or online learning such as
cellphones, television and radios to name a few. In as much as the government of Eswatini
together with the ministry of education inverted strategies to ensure the continuity of teaching
and learning even during the closure of schools due to lockdown, Motsa felt that those teaching
and learning strategies which involved conducting lessons through radio, newspapers as well
as the national television stations were non-practical for vulnerable students.
The issue of accessibility was one of the major issues Motsa pointed out in her paper, she stated
that such teaching and learning platforms did not favor the vulnerable children of the country.
In consonance with Motsa, Mkhatjwa (2017) added that “How feasible is it that parents or
caregivers of these children can afford to buy newspapers for their children? Let alone radios
or even own television sets when they struggle to put food on the table.” This again goes on to
prove that only children with resources benefited or were at an advantage of accessing
education while on the other hand, vulnerable children of Eswatini missed out a lot on their
education.
15
2.2.4 Support put in place by school management to ensure that teaching and learning
continue to take place during Lockdown
After the immediate closure of schools or face to face classroom interactions, action had to be
taken to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning even during lockdown. As an attempt
to ensure that students do not miss out more on their education, in India, the government
imposed online learning in form of television, radio, WhatsApp groups, zoom and skype as
well as loudspeaker tutorials for students without internet connection. As expected, the
reception of these online lessons has been mixed due to the fact that it favored students from
well-off backgrounds since they can afford to buy all the necessary equipment needed to access
online learning, whereas it is the opposite for students who come from disadvantaged
backgrounds (Jaeger & Blaabaek,2020).
Zhang et al. (2020) stated that in China an educational emergency policy was launched in
support for online learning, this policy is known as the “Suspending classes without stopping
learning”. According to Zhang, the policy aimed at integrating China’s school teaching
resources including providing rich, diverse as well as high quality online resources for all
students across China. Another strategy adopted by China schools to ensure the continuity of
teaching and learning amidst Covid-19 is through the provision of lessons through digital
platforms such as Television broadcast (Charlene & Hairon (2020).
The school management of Trinity High School in River Forest made the transition from faceto-face teaching and learning to online teaching and learning smooth for both teachers and
students. They made sure that teachers and leaners get all the support they needed during the
period of Lockdown. Earlier in the year of 2020, the School Management had already started
with online teaching and learning which helped a lot because by the time lockdown began,
students were used to online teaching and learning platforms such as zoom and google
classroom. To make online lessons more exciting, teachers brought in authors, inventors as
well as TED talks guest (Adelina,2020).
In a study conducted in Bangladesh on teachers’ response to online learning during lockdown
,Farhana et al.(2020) stated that teachers in some schools in Bangladesh did not receive any
form of training on the use of online teaching , they mentioned that they learnt about online
teaching from their children at home, which reveals that school management did not do much
16
in ensuring the continuity on teaching and learning during lockdown. A teacher revealed that
““I have learnt about online class from my children and mostly by taking self-initiative, but
Govt and institutional training can be really effective for us
Ettang (2020) State that prior to Covid-19, Nigeria strictly adopted face to face approach for
both primary and secondary schools, students’ ownership of phones was discouraged. However
due to lockdown which resulted from Covid-19, things had to change in order for teaching and
learning to continue taking place regardless of the situation. In Nigeria ever since the closure
of schools due to lockdown, there have been efforts by governments, private sectors, and school
management to promote continued learning and bridge potential learning gaps. These efforts
include the use of radio and television, virtual classrooms, video conferencing as well as the
use of social media such as WhatsApp to conduct lessons (Ettang,2020).
In Eswatini, the Government together with the ministry of education as well as school
management introduced new modes of conducting lessons to ensure the continuity of lessons
during lockdown, this included the use of television, radio as well as social media (WhatsApp
learning groups). A timetable was provided, and lessons were presented by teachers from
Monday to Friday (Dlamini,2020).
2.2.5 Challenges faced by learners and teachers during Lockdown that affected the
teaching and learning process
It is undeniable that when one looks at the challenges teachers and learners faced during
lockdown, Online teaching and learning cannot be left out mostly because it was the only option
used to ensure that teaching and learning took place during the period of lockdown.
Many teachers complained that lockdown meant that they now had to conduct classes online
which brought so many challenges for them as well as students. According to Haber and Mills
(2008), online learning promoted plagiarism. Cases of plagiarism in school assignments have
drastically increased since the online learning commenced. A trend of copying and pasting
documents from the internet has since been discovered by educators on student’s work which
is a negative effect on learning as it promotes dullness in students (Hamid et al.,2020). Students
fail to think outside the box and innovate new ideas as they know that there is vast information
from internet that they can copy and paste then submit without putting the effort that is required
17
of them. This has led to a drastic drop of results in schools and higher institutions as plagiarized
work is not supposed to be considered by the educator (Haber & Mills,2008).
In India it was reported that due to lockdown, communication skills of most students have been
affected as they no longer get the opportunity to communicate with other learners and people
around the society as they are on their gadgets most of the time. Teachers in class have tried to
work on the communication skills of some learners but asking them to answer a question even
without them raising their hand but with online learning it seems to be impossible because
video portals where the teacher and students are able to see each other are usually expensive
thus teachers use audio portals where they record lessons and send to students (Muthuprasad
et al., 2020).
In Delhi, teachers mentioned several problems they faced while conducting online classes,
these included students’ lack of smart phones which are a necessity for online learning, poor
network connection was also noted as well as less participation and attendance of students in
online lessons. Another problem which Delhi Teachers faced was the issue of online
evaluation, they argued that it is close to impossible to track the authenticity of students work
as well as their understanding and behavioral changes. Teachers also complained that the
workload of teachers in online teaching has been increased due to needing to make videos,
Power Point presentations and e-notes for students. (Kamal& Illiyan,2021).
Teachers complained about the quality of the internet, in most underdeveloped countries the
quality of their Internet connection is poor, and some parts do not have internet connection at
all which made it impossible to conduct online lessons. In most cases you would find that the
internet would disconnect during virtual classrooms. This made it hard for teachers to
effectively conduct online lessons to benefit all students. Such problems created
communication gaps between teachers and students (Maskari, et al..,2022).
In another study conducted in India by Dhawan (2020) it showed that high rate of absenteeism
was discovered during online learning. Most learners are normally not present during online
lessons due to different reasons. Some students and teachers come from different backgrounds,
it is not only the student who is always absent, teachers also absent themselves especially on
online classes. This is because some teachers and learners are not computer literate thus, they
fail to setup online classes for their students. The high rate of absenteeism has caused most
students to be behind with their schoolwork which leads to a high rate of failure.
18
In a study conducted by Brown (2020) in Australia online learning has proved to have negative
impact on teaching and learning it has resulted in learning losses mostly for vulnerable and
young students. The reasons for Learning losses resulted from the fact that most families do
not have enough physical and quiet spaces that students need in order for effective teaching
and learning to take place. In order for online teaching and learning to effectively take place,
the environment must be friendly which means that it must be quiet and free from unnecessary
distraction such as overcrowded noisy households in this case. In addition to that, most students
especially those in lower grades and from disadvantaged families lack support from their
caregivers or parents on how to go about using technology to access online lessons. This is
mainly because parents are too busy making end meets to support their families, so they don’t
get time to assist their kids and in most cases many parents have lower levels of educational
attainment as well as limited capabilities with technology (Brown et al.,2022).
Teachers complained about the quality of the internet, in most underdeveloped countries the
quality of their Internet connection is poor, and some parts do not have internet connection at
all which made it impossible to conduct online lessons. In most cases you would find that the
internet would disconnect during virtual classrooms. This made it hard for teachers to
effectively conduct online lessons to benefit all students. Such problems created
communication gaps between teachers and students (Maskari, et al..,2022).
2.3 Research gap
Looking at the above literature review one can conclude that enough has been written about
how lockdown during covid-19 affected the teaching and learning process around the globe,
However, given the fact that covid-19 was declared a global pandemic by WHO in 2020,
making it a recent topic meaning that in as much as quite a number of studies have investigated
on this issue around the world, very few studies in Eswatini have been written about the impact
of lockdown during Covid 19 on teaching and learning. Those that are available or link with
the topic have limited information since they focus on specific areas leaving out some
important information on how really lockdown affected the process of teaching and learning,
keeping in mind both teachers and students as well as the teaching and learning process, hence
this study seeks to fill in that void.
19
2.4 Chapter Summary
This chapter gave a detailed literature review of previous studies as well as the theory that is
going to be used when conducting the study. Chapter 2 was all about identifying a framework.
The next chapter will give a glimpse on how the study will be conducted.
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CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
The purpose of this chapter is to present the procedures that was followed in conducting the
study. It is made up of the research approach, research design, area of study, population
sampling and sampling procedures, data collecting instruments, validity and reliability, pilot
study, data collection procedures and data analysis procedure as well as the chapter summary.
3.2 Research Paradigm
A research paradigm can be defined as an approach or a research model to conducting a
research that has been verified by the research community for long and that has been in practice
for hundreds of years. This study adopted the interpretivist/constructivist research paradigm
since it is most suitable for qualitative studies. According to the constructivist research
paradigm, human behavior is believed to be affected by several factors and is mostly subjective
in nature. To add on that, human behavior depends on the situations and is determined by
environmental factors.
Constructivist research paradigm was suitable for this research because this study focuses on
how lockdown during covid-19 impacted the process of teaching and learning which include
teachers’ and learners’ experiences.
3.3 Research approach
The study used the qualitative research approach. According to Aspers and Corte (2021)
qualitative research is the type of research that people use to gain insight into a problem, issue
or theory. It is more naturalistic and seek to build a narrative about the problem and also tries
to understand the reasons why something is the way it is. This approach was appropriate for
the study since the researcher seeks to both students and teachers’ views on how lockdown
during covid-19 affected the process of teaching and learning in the Kingdom of Eswatini.
The qualitative approach enabled the researcher to Examine teachers and students’ views on
the impact of lockdown during covid-19, and also determine support put in place by school
management to ensure that teaching and learning continue to take place during lockdown as
well as determine the challenges faced by both teachers and students during lockdown. Another
reason for using qualitative approach is that in this approach human experiences are also
21
incorporated which allows in depth information as participants give different perspectives
(Rahman,2016).
3.4 Research design
Research design is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and
analysing data (Creswell et al.,2007). This study adopted the phenomenological research
design because it focuses on studying the phenomena that have impacted an individual which
in this case is covid-19, it highlights the specifics and identifies a phenomenon as perceived
by an individual in a situation. Another reason for using this approach is because it Usually
(but not always) involves a small sample of participants and since this study only used ten
participants, making the phenomenological research design a perfect choice.
3.5 Area of Study
This study was conducted in the Hhohho region in Eswatini and only two high schools were
used in conducting the study.
3.6 Population
According to Creswell (2005) population refers to all the individuals with objects or events that
will be considered in a research project. A target population is the entire group of individuals
or objects to which the researchers are interested in, with similar characteristics. the population
for this study was a total of two High Schools in the Hhohho region and ten participants were
used.
3.7 Sampling
A sample is a part or subset of the population used to gain information about the whole
population (Cohen & Cowan ,2011). A good sample not only needs to be representative, but it
also needs to be adequate of sufficient size to allow confidence in the stability of its
characteristics (Best, 2007). According to Pathak et al.,2008) sampling can be termed as the
process of selecting a few (a sample) from a bigger group (the population) to become the basis
for estimating or predicting the prevalence of an unknown piece of information, situation, or
outcome regarding the bigger group. It is an important component of any piece of research,
because of the significant impact that it can have on the quality of results/findings.
22
3.7.1
sampling size
Ten participants were used, consisting of two teachers and three students from each school.
Two High schools from the Hhohho region in Eswatini were used, one High school will be
from a rural area and the other one from urban area.
3.7.2
Sampling technique
In this study, the researcher used purposive sampling technique, the reason for choosing this
technique is because purposive sampling allows the researcher to select participants based on
characteristics of the population and the objectives of the study, which makes it easier to get a
sample of subject with specific characteristics while at the same time help save time. Since this
study focuses on the Impacts of lockdown during covid-19 on process of teaching and learning,
the participants will be purposely sampled.
3.8 Trustworthiness
Trustworthiness is all about determining the quality of a qualitative research and that is done
through establishing the credibility, dependability, confirmability as well as transferability of
the research study’s findings.
3.8.1 Credibility
credibility refers to a process of verifying the data and sometimes even your analysis with the
original participants. Credibility ensures that those partaking in research are identified and
described accurately. To ensure credibility the researcher identified learners and teachers and
described them as the only subjects of the study. The researcher also verified interview
transcripts with interviewee where there was a need, this was done to ensure that the researcher
interpreted participants’ intended meanings correctly or that the analysis stayed true to their
experiences and perspectives as expressed.
3.8.2 Dependability
Korstjens and Moser (2018) state that dependability refers to the constancy of data overtime
and under different conditions. The researcher ensured the dependability of the data to be
trustworthy by use of inquiry audit. Enquiry audit involves the use of an outsider to review and
examine the research process and data analysis to ensure the findings are consistent and could
be repeated. In this process, all interpretations and conclusions are examined to determine
whether they are supported by the data itself.
23
3.8.3
Transferability
transferability has to do with whether or to what extent the study’s results are applicable within
other contexts, circumstances and settings. It also can be thought of in terms of generalizability
(Shenton,2004). To ensure transferability, the researcher used a thick description, which
involves providing adequate details on the number of schools taking part in the study and where
they are based, any restrictions in the type and number of participants who contributed data as
well as the data collection methods that were employed in conducting the study.
3.8.4 Conformability
Conformability has to do with the degree of neutrality in the findings of the study on whether
the findings are based on subjects’ responses and not any possible bias or the researcher’s
personal drives. To ensure conformability, the researcher provided an audit trail, through this
process the researcher was able to provide details of the process of data collection, data analysis
and interpretation of the data.
3.9 Data collection procedure
3.9.1
Data Collection Instrument
Annum (2017) define data collection instruments as fact finding strategies, they are tools used
by researchers to collect data in the research process. These instruments include questionnaires,
interviews, case studies as well as surveys to name a few.
In this study the researcher used Interviews to collect data. Interviews are a systematic way of
listening and talking to people in order to collect data from individuals through
conversations.This instrument is suitable for this study because interviews allow anonymity
which is usually a consent to participant. Another reason for the use of these instruments is that
interviews are particularly useful in uncovering the story behind a participant's experiences and
that is exactly what the study seeks to do, uncovering participants’ experiences on the Impact
of lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and learning process in Secondary Schools in
the Hhohho Region of Eswatini.
3.9.2 Data collection Procedure
Data collection procedures is about the steps that will be taken by the researcher to administer
research instruments for the purpose of gathering data for the study. According to Best and
Khan (2007) there are two fundamental stages for data collection. The first stage involves
appointments with research subjects whilst the second stage require distribution and
administering instruments. For this study, Head teachers of the schools to be used for the
24
collection of data were contacted by a phone call so to seek permission to conduct the study in
their schools and in order for them to alert teachers and students about the interviews.
After getting permission from the head teachers, the researcher then visited the two schools to
conduct the interviews.
3.9.3 Ethical consideration
Research ethics are moral principles that guide researchers to conduct and report research
without deception. Ethical Considerations can be identified as one of the most important
aspects of the research paper because they help in establishing the study’s validity, they include
Full consent from participants to take part in the study, transparency/ honesty as well as
prioritizing participants’ privacy to name a few (Saunders et al.,2012)
For this study, the researcher made sure that Full consent was obtained from the participants
prior to the study, this was done through adequately informing participants about what exactly
the study is about and what will be expected from them. This then helped participant to decide
whether they are interested or not in taking part since participation will be voluntary. should
there be any need for withdrawal in the process, participants were free to do so without any
consequences. Candidates’ confidentiality and privacy was highly prioritized so provision of
their identity will not be required.
3.10 Pilot study
A pilot study is one of the main important features of a research, it involves selecting few
people and trying out the study on them before conducting the main research. A pilot study is
very important because the results produced from the pilot study helps the researcher decide
how best to conduct a large-scale research project (Crossman, 2020).
For this study to produce the intended outcomes, the researcher used at least five individuals
to conduct a pilot study in order to execute high-quality research because that is exactly what
a pilot study is supposed to do. Through a pilot study, the researcher got to know if the
interview questions were well set to participants’ understanding or they needed to be refined.
The researcher through the pilot study was able to Identify and resolve potential problems or
issues which were going to affect the main research. Data collection Instruments were also
25
submitted to experts in the education field of UNESWA, whereby they were checked if they
measured exactly what they are intended to measure.
3.11 Data analysis procedure
LeCompte and Schensul (2012) define data analysis as a process of making sense of the data
that has been collected, it involves reducing it from large chunk of data to smaller fragments
as well as reducing it to a story. In order for the researchers to arrive at the right conclusion
and answer the main research question, data was analysed through generating feedback from
participant into Themes and sub-themes which will be guided by the research questions to
present finding
3.12 Chapter summary
This chapter was all about unpacking how the study is actually going to be conducted
(methodology). It briefly explained the theoretical framework, research methodology, research
design and population, sampling and sampling procedures, data collecting instruments, validity
and reliability and lastly the data analysis procedure
26
CHAPTER 4
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
4.1 Introduction
This chapter focuses on the presentation of data and its analysis as well the discussion of
research findings. In order for the researcher to arrive at the right conclusion and answer the
main research questions, the data collected in the study through interviews was put into themes
and subthemes.
4.2 Demographic Profile of respondents
Table 4.1 Category for Teachers
TEACHER
GENDER
QUALIFICATION YEARS
OF SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE STATUS
T1
Female
B.Ed. Secondary
T2
Female
Diploma
8 years
in 5 years
Private
Government
Secondary
Education
T3
Male
Bachelor of Science 7 years
in
Design
Private School
and
Technology
T4
Male
Master of Inclusive 9 years
Government
Education
Table 4.1 provides data of respondents (Teachers), which include their gender, qualification
and teaching experience. From the above information, out of four teachers, two were male and
the other two were females. Two teachers hold degrees while one holds a Masters and the other
holds a diploma. All teachers have minus ten years of teaching experience. Two teachers were
from a private school while the other two were from a government School.
27
Table 4.2 Category for leaners
LEARNERS
GENDER
CURRENT
SCHOOL STATUS
GRADE
L1
Female
9
Private
L2
Male
12
Private
L3
Female
12
Private
L4
Male
Form 4
Government
L5
Male
form 4
Government
L6
Female
form 3
Government
Table 4.2 provides information about the learner’s gender, current grade and school status
(Government or Private school). The information on the table shows that three learners go
to a private school and three learners goes to a government school. Two learners are doing
grade12, one is doing grade 9, two are in form 4 and other is doing form 3.
4.3 Presentation of findings
OBJECTIVES
THEMES
SUBTHEMES
Teachers views on the impact of Lockdown Experience with online - Readiness for online teaching
during Covid-19 on the teaching process
teaching
Psychological impact
-Mental Health problems
Motivation
-lack of motivation to teach during
lockdown
Learners’ views on the impact of Lockdown Psychological impact
-mental
during covid-19 on the learning process
lockdown
28
health problems during
Background
Support put in place by School Management Support provided
-Home background and environment
-training
-Psychological Support
Challenges faced by teachers and learners
Teaching and learning Availability of teaching and learning
Commented [DFY3]: Under your presentation. Present
during lockdown
resources
Network Coverage
availability first follow by network coverage, efficiency and
attendance
Efficiency in the use of online
teaching tools
Punctuality
Attendance during online classes
-
4.3.1Teachers views on the impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region.
Findings gathered from data collected in this study concerning teacher’s views on the impact
of Lockdown during Covid-19 reveal that teacher’s mental health, motivation level as well as
readiness for online learning had an impact on the teaching process.
4.3.1.1 Teachers’ readiness for online teaching
The data collected in this study reveals that teachers were quite not ready for the sudden shift
to online teaching and learning, which had an impact on the teaching process. Below is what
teachers had to say about their experience with moving their classes to online during lockdown.
‘’All I can say is that I was not ready for online classes, since it is something that
I never explored before lockdown, you can only imagine how hard it was for me
to adapt since the shift to online teaching and learning was literally an overnight
29
thing. This means that I had no idea on how to go about delivering lessons online,
it was a disaster, but I slowly got used to it’’ (T4).
I am a history teacher and history is one of the most demanding subjects because
it requires a lot of explaining and site visitation something that was impossible
to do during lockdown. Reality is there is only much one can do in online classes,
some topics require a teacher to be in front of students in order for it to be
effectively taught, lockdown took that away from us. The sudden shift to online
classes did not favor me as a history teacher mostly because I had no experience
with teaching history online, I feel like I was never prepared for it, I did not do
justice to my students and the subject during the period of lockdown.’’ (T2)
4.3.1.2 Teacher’s mental Health
Mental health has to do with individual’s condition in regard to their psychological and
emotional well-being. during the collection of data, almost all the teachers did not leave out
how lockdown affected their mental health, which had an impact on the teaching process during
lockdown in the time of covid-19.
“Lockdown took a huge toll on my mental health because it meant that the only
mode of lesson delivery (face-to-face teaching) I was used to have to be
discontinued. I was constantly worried about what that meant for me and my
student as well as the teaching and learning process, until the decision to shift
classes online came about. However, even though the shift to online classes
seemed like the best decision at that time, reality is it brought depression because
we were never ready for such a huge change as teacher’’(T2).
In order for a person to perform well in anything that she is doing, she must be
in good mental state, same applies to teachers. I went through intensified mental
health problems during lockdown, from losing loved ones to uncertainty over
work and life, all this made it very difficult for me to be a productive teacher,
which negatively affected the teaching process during the period of lockdown.
Things only got better after the re-opening of schools, it brought hope to many of
us because at least now we were able to go back to face-to-face classes which in
my opinion is far better and effective compared to online classes ’’ (T 4).
30
The sudden shift to online teaching caused me so much stress and anxiety, the
separation from my students and colleagues alone was very frustrating mainly
because in all my 3 classes I have students with different special needs, it became
hard to give those students special attention now that classes had been shifted
online. Loosing 3 loved ones in one year due to Covid-19 emotionally and
mentally disturbed me and that too had a negative impact on my teaching process
because 2020 was really a stressful year for me’’ (T 1).
4.3.1.3 Motivation
Motivation can be simply defined as the general willingness to do something, motivation is
very important in attaining goals. When analyzing data collected from this study, it shows that
lockdown resulted to teachers being demotivated to teach due to different factors which had a
negative impact on the teaching process. Below are responses on lockdown impacted the
teaching process during covid-19, their responses touch on the issue of demotivation.
“The shift to online teaching and learning which resulted from lockdown during covid19 came with a lot of issues which led to both students and teachers getting demotivated.
I witnessed a high level of plagiarism during online tests and assignments, this
demotivated me to give feedback to my students because I could not tell whether they
were benefiting anything from the lessons I was delivering online because each time I
gave them a test a lot of them googled answers. I am sure all teachers can agree with me
that plagiarism can lead one to be demotivated to give feedback to students” (T3).
During online lessons you would find out that out of fifty students only a few would
actively participate or even be able to access materials I posted online for them to read.
It is very costly and time consuming to prepare and deliver lessons online so when you
put in so much work as a teacher to prepare those lessons only for minus fifteen students
to benefit from those lessons, it can so demotivating to us teachers especially because
most of us have to use our own gadgets and money to buy data (T1).
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4.4 Learner’s views on the impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region.
Data collected from this study reveals that learners’ background/home environment and mental
health during lockdown are the major things that had an impact on their learning process.
4.4.1 Learner’s mental Health
Just like teachers, students also pointed out the issue of mental health when expressing their
views in response to the impact of lockdown during Covid -19 on the learning process. Below
are some of their responses which touched on the issue of mental health.
“The closure of school due to lockdown which resulted from covid-19 meant no school
for me, in as much as our government tried means to ensure that teaching and learning
continued to take place even during lockdown through provision of lessons through
television and radio, for me and many other students it meant nothing because even then,
we still had no access to education because at home we do not have electricity which
means no television or radio. This caused me so much stress because while I was at home
missing out on education, other students were on board with their education. To this day
I do not know how I managed to make it to the next class because I missed out on a whole
year of education in 2020, I even thought of taking my own life, that is how stressed I
was during lockdown. I think what made matters worse is the lack of interaction with my
peers, it is not easy waking up and staring at four walls all day with no one to talk or play
with” (L5).
“Lockdown was my worst nightmare, I developed a mental health as a result of the loss
of both parents to a car accident. During lockdown my mental health got worse because
I now had all the time to think about my problems which led me straight to depression.
During lockdown school became the least of my problems hence my results came back
not looking good for a grade 9 student who was only left with one year to complete high
school. I failed not because I lacked necessary gadget to access online learning materials,
but because of depression which was triggered by lockdown” (L2)
“Resorting to online learning was not such a bad idea because without it would mean a
whole year without education because if I remember very well lockdown stretched for
almost a year or more. However, I cannot say I benefited much from online lessons during
lockdown because the amount of workload that came with online classes was too much
32
for us to handle which resulted to stress and anxiety which made it hard for me to focus
or give attention to all the subjects” (L3).
4.4.1.2 Learner’s background/ home Environment
Students also pointed out that their background influenced their views on the impact of
lockdown during covid-19 on the learning process. When we talk about background, we refer
to the kind of family one comes from. The following is what respondents had to say
“I come from a poor home where I stay with my grandmother and my younger brother.
We stay in a one room stick and mud house with no electricity. Lockdown was the worst
thing to ever happen to me because the last time I heard from a teacher was on our last
day of face-to-face teaching and learning, that was the last day of school for me up until
the official re-opening of traditional face-to-face school. This was due to the fact that I
could not afford to buy a phone or data bundles to help me catch up with my education
and even if I so much wished to visit my friend who has a phone, television and radio at
her house which were the most used online learning platforms, lockdown made that
impossible because movement was restricted” (L5).
“Lockdown made me realize my strength and weaknesses in the way I grasp content, my
mother made sure I had all the necessary gadgets to access online learning materials,
she also made sure that I attend all scheduled online classes, however, I realized that I
learn and grasp content better in traditional school environment, online classes were
less lively and demotivating for me” (L1).
“I stay with my unlearned parents, so it was hard for them to help with my schoolwork
during lockdown because of their educational background. That had a negative impact
on my learning process because all my teachers did was bombard us with notes and
assignments with no explanations which made it hard for me to understand most of the
materials and to make matters worse, I had no one to help me with that” (L4).
4.5 Support put in place by the school management to ensure that learning continue
during lockdown and even in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic
The suddenness of lockdown during covid-19 meant that everything had to come to a standstill
including the teaching and learning process. In order to ensure the continuity of teaching and
33
learning during the period of lockdown, school managements had to meet the government
halfway. Below are some of the responses from respondents on whether anything was done by
school management to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning during lockdown,
respondents pointed out training and mental health support.
4.5.1 Training
“Given the suddenness of lockdown, our school was not prepared at all for the shift to
online teaching and learning and one cannot entirely blame the school management
because honestly speaking, no one saw it coming. So, to answer your question on whether
the school management did anything to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning
during lockdown, one can safely say no the school did not do much because we did not
even receive gadgets, data bundles or any form of training on how to go about using
online teaching tools”(T2).
“I think for me the shift to online learning was not too stressful because prior to lockdown
we used both face-to-face and online learning platforms, so I am familiar with online
teaching. Even before lockdown, teachers did receive training on how to effectively
deliver lessons online as well as training on which online platforms are good for
delivering lessons. During lockdown where by now we were now forced to utilize online
teaching and learning platforms, the school made it a point that teachers undergo
intensive training which took place online in order to ensure that all students benefit
from online lessons”(T1).
“In terms of training, our school management and teachers did not do much in helping
us effectively use online learning platforms, I guess that was due to the fact that the shift
to online teaching was so sudden, they themselves were caught off-guard. We all had to
figure it out on our own”(L6).
“I think our school management did their best in ensuring that teaching and learning
took place even during lockdown. We were offered a well-organized timetable for our
online classes, teachers made it a point not to miss any zoom classes. We did receive
training on how use online learning platforms too. I really think our school management
played their part when it comes to this department”(L2).
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4.5.2 Psychological support
When it comes to mental health support, this is what respondents had to say
“In order for the teaching and learning process to effectively take place, both teachers
and students must be in a good mental state, unfortunately lockdown and covid-19
brought stress and anxiety to many students and teachers. The school management did
not do anything to help both teachers and students cope emotionally and psychological
which I think was a necessity in ensuring that teaching and learning continue to take
place even during lockdown”(T4).
“I am so lucky that I have such a supportive family because if it was not for them, I doubt
I could have survive the stress that came along with online learning especially due to
workload. At school we did have a psychologist who help both students and teachers cope
with mental related problems. During lockdown we were free to contact her whenever we
felt the need to”(L3).
4.6 Challenges faced by teachers and learners during lockdown that affect the teaching
and learning process
Looking at the data collected from this study, it is undeniable that both teachers and students
faced quite a number of challenges during lockdown , which affected the teaching and learning
process. Those challenges had to do with network coverage, issue of attendance during online
lessons, availability of teaching and learning resources, as well as efficiency in using online
teaching tools.
4.6.1Availability of teaching and learning resources
Lack of teaching and learning resources was also another challenge faced by both teachers and
students during lockdown. Below are responses from respondents in regard to availability of
teaching and learning resources.
“The main reasons are missed out on learning during lockdown is because I lacked
resources for accessing online learning material. I used my mother’s phone and most of
the time I had no money to data bundles which I needed for accessing online classes as a
result I missed most of online classes”(L4)
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“Lockdown came at time whereby I had recently lost my phone, so preparing or delivering
lessons online was close to impossible because I had no smart phone. The fact that we had
to buy data with our own money also made matters worse, it was going to be better if the
school provided us with teaching resources such as school phones and data which was
going to be strictly used for teaching purposes”(T2).
“As I stated before that I stay with my grandmother, this means that could not afford to
buy a smart phone and data bundles, the worst part is that we do not have a television or
radio at home so basically I had none of the resources needed for online learning”(L5)
4.6.2Network Coverage
In regard to network coverage, respondents revealed that network was one of the major
challenge they came across during lockdown which affected the teaching and learning process.
The following are responses from respondents;
“I currently stay at my sister’s place here in Mbabane so during lockdown I was forced
to go home (Kamfishane) in the shiselweni region. Those who know that place know that
network coverage is really bad, this means that I had to miss out on online classes, not
because I had no resources to attend online classes, but because of bad network
coverage” (L6)
“Bad network coverage really let us down during lockdown , the network was too slow,
sometimes it took a good thirty or plus minutes to just upload notes for students
online”(T3).
“I remember this one time I was writing an online test and due to bad network, I was
kicked out of Moodle even before finishing the test, it then took forever to bring me back
in resulting in me failing the test because I could not finish writing. That was such a
horrible experience for me”(L3).
4.6.3 Efficiency in using online teaching tools
Data collected that some teachers and learners lacked the skill to use online teaching and
learning platforms. The following are responses from teachers and learners;
“Prior to lockdown I never owned a phone nor laptop , my parents did not afford to buy me
one, but they got me a mini laptop during lockdown because I needed it for school purposes.
The fact that I first had to learn how to use a laptop alone was a lot, learning how to use
36
online learning platform was not easy because I had to figure it out on my own, without
any training or assistance from anyone”(L6)
“During lockdown, I learnt how to go about delivering lessons online the hard way. I was
surprised to learn that there is so much one can do with just a cellphone. Prior to lockdown
I never bothered myself with learning how to use online teaching platforms and I will
forever regret that because learning how to use such platforms under pressure was so
stressful for me” (T2).
“Due to the sudden shift to online learning, I never got a chance to effectively learn how
to deliver lessons online, I have always depended on face-to-face mode of delivering
lessons, so during lockdown I had a hard time delivering lessons online, I still feel like
somehow the school management failed us, they were supposed to give us some sort of
training on how to go about using online teaching platforms” (T4)
“One day our teacher scheduled a zoom class during lockdown, it turned into a disaster
because I doubt any of us had an idea on how to use zoom. We had no idea we had to mute
our speakers and where to mute as a result the teacher had complete cancel the class and
from that day, we used WhatsApp group for learning. I believe a little bit of training on
how to use online learning platforms was going to help avoid such challenges” (L6).
4.6.4 Attendance during online classes
Lack of attendance was a challenge teachers noted during online classes , below is what
respondents had to say on the issue of attendance.
“Delivering classes online has been a huge challenge for me because I dedicated my time
to preparing lessons for my students only for them not to attend classes as well as
attempting quizzes, I had posted for them online. Zoom classes were the worsts, you could
schedule a zoom class and we would all agree on the time of the class, come class time
only few students attends. The number of attendees during online lessons were very
disappointing”(T1).
“Honestly speaking, I ended up not attending online classes, especially zoom classes
because my home environment was not friendly, I constantly got disturbed during online
classes. The problem is that we stay in a small house whereby everyone does their own
37
thing, so during lockdown it was never quiet in the house which made it very difficult for
me to focus during online classes”(L6)
“Attendance was very poor during online classes during the period on lockdown, students
complained about poor network and lack of resources such as smart phones and data” (T2)
4.7 Discussion of results
4.7.1 Teachers views on the impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region.
When analyzing data collected from this study, it is evident that Lockdown during Covid-19
had a negative impact on the teaching and learning process in secondary schools in the Hhohho
region of Eswatini.
The respondents in this study highlighted that Lockdown took a huge toll on their mental health,
because it meant that now they had to shift from traditional face to face classroom to online
classes and given the suddenness of the change, teachers were not ready for such a huge change
in teaching. One teacher even pointed out that prior to lockdown, he has never explored online
teaching.
Kast, et al.,(2021) states that indeed the change was too sudden, and teachers were clearly not
ready for such a huge change. He states that in Austria teachers were forced to adapt to the new
normal brought by Lockdown which resulted from Covid-19. Teachers had to implement forms
of teaching methods that were rarely or not used at all before lockdown, they had to familiarize
themselves with newly invented or introduced new teaching methods that had to be put in
practice during lockdown, something that was very stressful to them. In line with Kast’s
assertions, one of the respondents (T4) from this study stated that the shift from traditional
classroom to online teaching was a challenging one given the suddenness of the transition.
In accordance with respondents from this study, Kim and Asbury, (2022 added that the shift
from face-to-face teaching to online was so sudden, and most teachers were not prepared for
such big change, as many lacked skills to implement digital teaching formats, they had little to
no idea on how to use digital media to effectively teach students, which affected the entire
teaching and learning process.
Looking at the above, one can conclude that a majority of teachers in Eswatini have a negative
view of the speed at which they were expected or forced to adapt their teaching methods to
online teaching. They all hold the same view that it had a negative impact on the teaching
process as well as their mental health.
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4.8 Learner’s views on the impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching and
learning process in secondary schools in Hhohho region.
From the results obtained from this study, it is undeniable that learners too hold the view that
lockdown during Covid-19 had a negative impact on the learning process.
Respondents emphasized on how lockdown during covid-19 affected them mentally which
resulted to the learning process being impacted negatively because it is impossible for one to
focus when their she/he is dealing with mental related issues, same applies to learners.
Respondents indicated that learning during lockdown was not a walk in the park, it was so
stressful for them. One student stated that she cannot say that she benefited anything from
learning online during lockdown because the workload that came with online classes was too
much for her to handle which resulted to stress and anxiety which made it hard for her to focus
or give attention to all the subjects, leading to depression which then affected her learning
negatively.
In a study conducted by Rodriguez et al., (2020), he stated that lockdown during Covid-19 led
to a rise in fear, anxiety, stress, and depression among students. Many students constantly
worried about their future, whether they will be able to reach their goals or perform to their
greatest potential as they now had to learn on their own with no teacher in front of them as how
it used to be in the traditional classroom setting. This amount of stress shifted their focus on
their schoolwork hence affected the learning process negatively.
In agreement with findings from respondents of this study as well as Rodriguez’s study,
Chaturvedi et al., (2020) also concurs that lockdown during covid-19 meant that students had
to stay home 24 hours a day with no change of scenery. This alone can be stressful to students.
Students found that staying at home the whole day was stressful for them because even though
they had to learn online, in most cases they found that the situation at home was not a friendly
one, be it family or personal matters or unavailability of resources needed in order for students
to access online learning. All these had a negative impact on the learning process.
Respondents also pointed out that the Covid-19 lockdown meant no education for the entire
lockdown period due to a lack of the resources required for one to access online learning
platforms. An analysis of the findings from respondents of the study it is clear that a majority
39
of students from disadvantaged backgrounds missed out on learning simply because they did
not have all the necessary resources needed for online learning.
The issue of students’ backgrounds was also discussed in a research conducted by Hoffman
and Secord, (2021). They state that the shift from face-to-face learning to online learning has
not been a smooth one for students, especially those who come from disadvantaged
backgrounds. Online learning requires students to have all the necessary tools in order for them
to effectively access online learning, this includes smart phones, laptop/computer, and internet
connection to name a few. According to Hoffman and Secord, in India most students lacked
most of the above-mentioned necessities, which meant that they had to miss out on learning
just because they cannot afford to acquire these resources. This proved to have a negative
impact on the learning process in India as it did in Secondary Schools in the Hhohho region of
Eswatini.
Looking at the above information on student’s views on the impact of lockdown during Covid
19, it is evident that the learning process was impacted negatively since lockdown resulted in
students developing mental health problems and other missed out on learning simply because
they come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
4.9 Support put in place by the school management to ensure that teaching and learning
continue during Covid-19 lockdown
An analysis of the findings from respondents reveals that teachers and learners needed support
from school management, more than ever, during the period of covid-19 lockdown. The
support being alluded to should have been in the form of emotional, psychological as well as
support in terms of availing the much-needed resources for accessing online learning platforms.
Data collected from this study indicates that there were efforts made by school management to
ensure the continuity of teaching and learning during the lockdown period. However, a majority
of the respondents felt that the efforts fell short and were therefore insufficient in addressing
the problem.
Respondents from one of the schools visited revealed that their school management did not
offer sufficient support to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning during lockdown.
Respondents stated that no form of training was given to them on how to go about using online
teaching and learning platforms which was necessary in order for effective teaching and
40
learning to continue smoothly. Some respondents, especially the Teachers added that they did
not receive any resources from their school management in the form of availing data bundles
and online teaching gadgets. Respondents also felt that school management should have availed
mental health support to help them deal with the added emotional and psychological stress
brought about by the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Farhana et al.,(2020) also conducted a study that is in agreement with the findings from
respondents of this study. Farhana’s study revealed that in Bangladesh, teachers did not receive
training before lockdown. Some teachers even had to be taught by their children on how to use
online teaching and learning platforms in Bangladesh.
It must be pointed out, however, that some respondents had positive responses to the question
of support put in place by school management in ensurering the continuity of teaching and
learning during lockdown. These respondents revealed that their school management offered
intensive online training on how to use online teaching tools. Most of these schools, however,
were ones that had already started exploring means of integrating online teaching and learning
methods into their education system, prior to the COVID-19 Lockdown, this made the
transition to online teaching and learning an easier process for them.
In her study , Adelina,(2020) revealed that the transition to online teaching was a smooth one
for Trinity High School because Earlier in the year of 2020, the School Management had
already started with online teaching and learning which helped a lot because by the time
lockdown began, students were used to online teaching and learning platforms such as zoom
and google classroom.
Looking at the information above on the support put in place by school management in ensuring
the continuity of teaching and learning during covid-19, it is evident that the finding of this
study is consistent with studies conducted by researchers that have done work on the impact of
Covid-19 lockdowns on the teaching and learning process.
4.10 Challenges faced by teachers and learners during lockdown that affect the teaching
and learning process
From the findings obtained from the current study, it is evident that both teachers and students
faced quite a number of challenges during lockdown. Respondents revealed that absenteeism
from both teachers and students was one of the challenges they faced during lockdown. The
41
study reveals that there was a high level of absenteeism from both teachers and students during
online classes in the period of lockdown. There were varying reasons for the absenteeism,
including internet network and connectivity issues, lack of resources needed to access online
lessons and lack of skills to conduct online lessons.
The above findings from respondents concur with findings from Dhawan (2020)’s study,
whereby he revealed that most learners are normally not present during online lessons due to
different reasons. Some students and teachers come from different backgrounds, it is not only
the student who is always absent, teachers also absent themselves especially on online classes.
This is because not all teachers and learners are computer literate, hence they fail to setup online
classes for their students, and some students fail to join the online classes, for the same
computer literacy reason.
Findings from the current study also reveal that students from disadvantaged backgrounds
lacked online learning resources which was a huge challenge to them because it resulted to
learning losses since they could not attend online classes due to lack of resources. This finding
of the current study is consistent with finding from previous studies, for example, in their study,
Kama and Illiyan,(2021) revealed that teachers mentioned several problems they faced while
conducting online classes during lockdown, these included students’ lack of smart phones
which are a necessity for online learning, poor network connection was also noted as well as
less participation and attendance of students in online lessons .
Respondents also highlighted the issue of lack of training on how to use online teaching and
learning tools, they mentioned that lack of training made it very difficult for them to teach and
learn online.
4.11 Chapter Summary
This chapter focused on data analysis which was guided by the objectives of the study together
with research questions. Discussion of findings based on previous studies done by other
scholars was also done in this chapter. The following chapter represents the summary of
findings, conclusions as well as recommendations
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CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY,CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.0 Introduction
This chapter will make reference to the findings presented in chapter 4 to come up with the
summary, conclusion as well as recommendations.
5.1 Methodology
This
study
adopted
the
qualitative
research
approach
and
employed
the
interpretivist/constructivist research paradigm. This study adopted the phenomenological
research design because it focuses on studying the phenome that has impacted an individual,
in this case it is Covid-19. The study was conducted in two Secondary Schools in the Hhohho
region in ESwatini. Ten participants were used , consisting of two teachers and three students
from each school. Purposive sampling was used because it allowed the researcher to select
participants based on the objectives of the study. Interviews were used to collect data for this
study because they are useful in uncovering the story behind participant’s experiences.
Moreover, this study used the thematic approach analysis approach to analyze data collected
in this study.
5.2 Summary of findings
Data collected from this study revealed that lockdown during Covid-19 had a really negative
impact on the teaching process in Secondary schools in the Hhohho region of Eswatini. The
responses from participants on their views on the impact of lockdown during Covid-19 on the
teaching process revealed that lockdown during covid-19 affected the teaching process
negatively because teachers were not well prepared or ready for the sudden shift from
traditional classroom teaching to online teaching. Some had no idea on how to go about
teaching online which caused them so much stress and anxiety . lockdown during covid-19 also
resulted to teachers being demotivated to teach and give feedback to students due to lack of
participation of students in online classes and lack of online teaching resources such as data
bundles and smart phones.
Data collected from this study also revealed that the learning process too was affected
negatively, because just like teachers, students also faced mental health problem during
lockdown which made it difficult for them to focus on their studies hence affecting the learning
process in a negative way because good mental state is essential for effective learning. The
43
study also revealed that students’ background played a major role in the learning process during
Lockdown, for example, students from good family backgrounds were the only ones that
benefited from online lessons during lockdown while those from disadvantaged backgrounds
missed so much on learning due to the fact that they lacked online learning resources resulting
to learning losses.
Findings from this study also revealed that in as much as school managements did something
to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning during lockdown , it proved insufficient which
too had a negative impact on the teaching and learning process. Finding indicates that teachers
and learners lacked support from school management during the period of lockdown during
covid-19 in terms of psychological and emotional support, they also lacked support in form of
provision of most needed training and resources, all needed for effective teaching and learning.
however, private schools tried means such as offering psychological support and training to
both teachers and learners in form of a psychologist.
Findings from this study also revealed that during lockdown teachers and learners came across
a number of challenges especially when it came to online classes, which was the only used
mode of teaching and learning during lockdown. This included high rate of absenteeism during
online classes, bad network coverage as well as difficulties in delivering online lessons and
accessing online learning materials due to lack of training, this too had a negative impact of
teaching and learning process.
5.2 Conclusion
In reference to the findings, it was concluded that lockdowns resulting from the Covid-19
Pandemic, crippled the teaching and learning process and by the look of things it will take some
time to fill in the learning gaps which resulted from these Covid-19 lockdowns. The researcher
also concluded that education inequality places the future of the country in a bad position
because the very same students who missed out on education during the Covid-19 lockdowns,
are the very same people who are expected to run the country in the future, with their inadequate
education. Moreover, the researcher has come to the conclusion that education in general was
not prioritized by the relevant stakeholders, such as school management, during the Covid-19
lockdown. A lot more could have been done to ensure that all students get access to education
during the Covid-19 lockdown, regardless of their background, and a lot more could have been
done to ensure that Secondary School Teachers were better prepared to deliver online lessons.
44
5.3 Recommendations
Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following recommendations to all
education stake holders.

Educational stakeholders need to work closely together and prioritize the provision of
all necessary equipment needed for online teaching and learning even if it calls for
donations. Education should be prioritized at all costs

Besides the shock of lockdown, the world is digitalizing therefore as a country, we need
to also adapt to such global change. It is vital to ensure that the use of online teaching
and learning platform is incorporated in the teaching and learning process, not only to
equip both teachers and learners with necessary digital skills needed in the digital
world, but to also prepare for future pandemics.

Training on how to use online teaching platforms should be provided at every school
to help equip teachers with necessary skills for effectively delivering lessons online.
Teachers too should familiarize themselves with such teaching platform to help
eliminate some of the challenges that comes with online teaching and learning

The issue of educational inequality should be addressed and acted upon, every child has
a right to good quality education therefore they should not be robbed of that right as it
happened during lockdown

Parents should try by all means to support their children, especially with their mental
and schoolwork as that is good for the learning process, findings from this study showed
that some students lacked support from home.
5.4 Recommendations for further study
Further research should be conducted on the Impact of Lockdown during Covid-19
on the teaching and learning process in Secondary Schools in Eswatini since this
study was only restricted to only two Secondary schools in the Hhohho region of
Eswatini. This will help verify the findings of this study.
45
References
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APPENDIX 1
IMPACT OF LOCKDOWN DURING COVID-19 ON THE TEACHING AND
LEARNING PROCESS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN HHOHHO REGION,
ESWATINI
Dear participants,
I am Seluliwe Gama, a final year B.Ed. student from the University of Eswatini. As part of my
course, I am conducting a study on the Impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching
and learning process in Secondary Schools in the Hhohho Region. It is hoped that the findings
of this study will help to fill the void caused by Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching
and learning process in Secondary Schools, hence your participation will be greatly
appreciated.
Codes such as Teacher A, B and C will be used when addressing each teacher to keep
anonymity and all information recorded will be kept confidential. Should there be any need for
withdrawal, please feel free do so as there will be no consequences for such.
TEACHER’S INTERVIEW GUIDE
Gender:
qualification:
Teaching Experience:
Teacher’s views on the impact of lockdown during Covid-19 on teaching
1. How did school closure affect the way you deliver lessons and how students grasp
content?
2. In your subject area, which online platforms did you prefer for delivering lessons and
why?
3. How was your relationship with your students affected during lockdown?
4. During online lessons, did your learners actively participate in class?
5. What are your experiences with moving your classes to online during lockdown?
6. In your own view did online learning benefit both teachers and learners during
Lockdown? Please elaborate.
7. How best did you value online teaching and learning?
8. How did lockdown affect you personally as a teacher?
52
Support put in place by the school management to ensure that learning continue during
lockdown
1. In what ways, did the school management ensure the continuity of teaching and learning
during lockdown?
2. Do you think that the support measures that you listed above, were appropriate? If yes
explain
3. What support measures given by school management towards teaching and learning
would have been appropriate?
4. Did you receive any training on how to use online tools to deliver lessons during
lockdown?
5. Did the school management provide teachers with means of coping both emotionally
and psychologically?
a. If yes, in what ways?
b. If no, why?
Challenges faced by teachers during lockdown that affect the teaching process
1. Did you face any challenges in delivering lessons during lockdown?
if so, what are those challenges?
2. Did the writing of exams get interrupted during lockdown?
If so, how?
53
APPENDIX 2
IMPACT OF LOCKDOWN DURING COVID-19 ON THE TEACHING AND
LEARNING PROCESS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN HHOHHO REGION,
ESWATINI
Dear participant
I am Seluliwe Gama, a final year B.Ed. student from the University of Eswatini. As part of my
course, I am conducting a study on the Impact of Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching
and learning process in Secondary Schools in the Hhohho Region. It is hoped that the findings
of this study will help to fill the void caused by Lockdown during Covid-19 on the teaching
and learning process in Secondary Schools, hence your participation will be greatly
appreciated.
Codes such as student A, B and C will be used when addressing each student to keep
anonymity. Should there be any need for withdrawal, please feel free do so as there will be no
consequences for such.
STUDENT’S INTERVIEW GUIDE
Gender:
Grade:
Students’ views on the impact of lockdown during Covid-19 on learning process
1. What are your experiences with moving from traditional classroom to suddenly learning
online?
2. What is your preferred learning platform, specify.
3. Why do you prefer the one mentioned?
4. How was your relationship with your teachers during lockdown, do you think it affected
your learning experience in anyway?
5. How often did you attend online classes during lockdown and were they beneficial to
you?
6. How did your home environment affect your online learning experience? Please explain
54
7. How did lockdown affect you personally as a student and what strategies did you adopt
to cope during this period?
8. What did you miss more about physical school/classroom?
Support put in place by the school management/teachers to ensure that learning
continue during lockdown
1. What type of support did you receive from both parents and teachers during
lockdown?
a) If any, in what ways?
b) If not, why?
2. How often did you receive feedback and how did that contribute to your learning
experience?
3. Did you receive any training by teachers on how to access online platforms provided
by the school?
4. Did the school management try means to assist learners effectively continue with
lessons during Lockdown?
a. If yes, were those means effective or appropriate?
Challenges faced by learners during lockdown that affect learning process
1. What challenges did you come across that affect your learning during lockdown?
2. Did you face any challenges with grasping content during lockdown? Please explain
55
APPENDIX 3
CONSENT FORM
Dear Respondent
My name is Seluliwe Gama a student of Business Education at the University of Eswatini,
Kwaluseni Campus. I am conducting research on the impact of lockdown during covid-19 on
the teaching and learning process in secondary schools in the Hhohho region of Eswatini and
you are invited to participate in the research.
In this study, I am requesting for information regarding your views on the impact of lockdown
during covid-19 on the teaching and learning process. The data for this research will be
collected anonymously and no one will be able to link the data to you. There are no foreseeable
risks associated with participation in this study.
I anticipate that the results will increase our understanding on the impact of lockdown during
covid-19 on the teaching and learning process. Your participation in this project is completely
voluntary and no remuneration will be offered. You are free to withdraw at any time and for
any reason without penalty.
I have read and understand the above information and voluntarily agree to participate in the
research described above. I have been given a copy of this consent form.
Signature………………………………………… Date………………………………
56
APPENDIX 4
DATA COLLECTION LETTER
University of ESWATINI
Faculty of Education
Department of Educational Foundations and Management
Private Bag 4
Tel: (+268) 2517 0319
KWALUSENI
Fax:
(+268)25170001
Swaziland
From:
Ms. S. M. Malindzisa
To: Whom It May Concern
(Course Coordinator)
Date:
13th October, 2022
RE: Confirmation of Engagement in a Research Project
This is to confirm
is a
Bachelor of Education final year student, who is currently engaged in a research project in
fulfilment of the requirements for this degree. As a coordinator of the research project for the
students studying through the Institute of Distance Education, I request that you assist him/her
in any way possible.
Thank you in advance for you anticipated cooperation.
57
Ms S. Malindzisa
(Research Project Coordinator)
58