Unpacking the equity of accessing the digital library and educational television channels for primary and secondary school students in Ethiopia

AbstractThis study investigates the equity of access to government e-learning platforms for Ethiopian primary and secondary school pupils. In order to achieve this, secondary data were accessed from the Mini-Demographic and Health Survey (Mini-DHS-2019) and the Planning and Development Commission’s document on Poverty and Economic Growth in Ethiopia. According to the findings, only a small proportion of primary and secondary school students from urban areas and economically privileged families who could afford computer, television, smartphone, and internet access can benefit from the digital library and educational televised programs. Thus, the digital learning program that was intended to increase educational accessibility exacerbated the existing inequities and intensified the pre-existing disparities between economically privileged and economically disadvantaged students and urban and rural resident students. The findings provide grounds for several recommendations on the implementation of e-learning through digital libraries and televised education programs in low-income countries like Ethiopia.