The geographical analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the decline of primary education levels in Wasit Governorate

Abstract

The Geographic Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on the Decline of Primary Education Levels in Wasit Governorate: A Study in Population Geography Assist. Prof. Dr. Wessam Abdul Hassan Ajil Wasit University - College of Education for Humanities - Department of Geography Abstract: This research aims to study the geographic analysis of the decline in primary education levels amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift towards e-learning as a means to ensure the continuity of the educational process during the quarantine period. This shift was implemented to prevent the spread of the pandemic without considering the novelty of e-learning methods in educational institutions. Consequently, several obstacles emerged during the application of e-learning due to weak infrastructure, as this type of education is still in its developmental stage and has not been officially adopted. Additionally, the lack of qualified personnel further exacerbates the challenges, along with the difficulty students face in absorbing information. These issues have negatively impacted the quality of education, as e-learning does not require the same level of interaction, attention, and critical thinking from students compared to traditional learning methods. In e-learning, the process is unidirectional and teacher-driven. Many families also struggle to effectively convey lessons to their children, leading to increased failure rates. Thus, the study aimed to identify the economic and social characteristics of the families of failing students to determine the main causes and address them to improve their academic performance.