Prof. Rex Wong

Purpose This paper aims to assess the knowledge, perceptions and mental health impact of COVID-19 among students in Rwanda. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a cross-sectional online survey questionnaire. Findings The mean knowledge score among the 375 respondents was 75.14% (SD ± 19.1), with 195 (55.1%) of the respondents scoring below 80%. Students who believed that COVID-19 education was sufficient were more likely to have lower knowledge levels (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.15; 2.94). While most respondents were aware of their vulnerability to the virus, they did not see themselves at risk of becoming infected. The percentage of respondents reported to have some form of mental health issues was 49.7%. The three most important factors in influencing mental health were age, history of mental health issues, and the way news was reported. Education quality was less affected for those who received online schooling (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.33, 0.94). Practical implications Education about COVID-19 should be strengthened by capitalizing on existing online and offline learning platforms to frequently update new or changing information. Originality/value This paper was the first study assessing the knowledge, perception and mental health impact of COVID-19 among Rwanda students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many schools rapidly rolled out online learning due to school closure or lockdown. This study assessed the online learning experience of 193 students in different universities of Rwanda during COVID-19. The reported main advantages of online learning revolved around the comfortability and self-responsibility in their studies. However, internet access and stability remained the biggest challenges. Respondents reported online learning not stimulating, lacked interactions with other students and with instructors, and they were distracted easily and had difficulty to maintain their discipline. Many students indicated they prefer in-person classes over online learning. Investment to provide students stable internet access and to training instructors to design more interactive and engaging online learning materials according to best practices could improve the students’ online experience. The use of blended online and in-person classroom learning to maximize students learning experiences and outcomes should be explored.