COVID-19 School Closure in Tanzania: The Use of Mobile Phone Technology in Education as a Mitigation Strategy

Abstract

This study explored the use of mobile phone technology as a mitigation strategy for primary school students’ teaching and learning during the long-term school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania. The research utilized an interpretive paradigm, a qualitative approach, and a case study design, guided by the Framework for the Rational Analysis of Mobile Education (FRAME). Eleven respondents were selected through purposive and convenient sampling, including one head teacher (n = 1), three subject teachers (n = 3), and seven parents (n = 7). Methods for generating data were semi-structured interviews and documentary review, followed by thematic analysis. Findings revealed that while both parents and teachers were shocked by the sudden school closure, they quickly adopted mobile phone technology to sustain student learning. Mobile phones were used to send and receive various learning materials, such as questions and pictures, via text messages, calls, social media, and emails. However, the study also found that some parents lacked sufficient instructional and supervisory skills and faced financial challenges in purchasing smartphones and affording necessary components like electricity and internet data. The study recommends that the government, in collaboration with other stakeholders, establish improved online technology frameworks for teaching and learning to be useful during unexpected school closures.