Leveraging Intelligent Decision Support System to Promote Inclusive Remote Learning and Teaching in East African Higher Education during Interruptions such as the COVID-19 Pandemic

The East African universities response to COVID-19 was extremely slow, mainly attributed to the lack of preparedness by the higher education regulatory bodies, university management and faculty to cope with situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, this had a significant impact on teaching and learning in the region. Decision-making process in response to such interruptions in teaching and learning in higher education needs to be quick, well informed and focused. However, Higher education in EA is hierarchically regulated and characterized by long chains of command that require vetting. Hence the process was slow, inefficient or completely missing. The objective of this project is to explore the existing decision-making process, design and test an Intelligent Decision Support System to Promote Inclusive and Significant Remote Teaching and Learning in the East African Higher Education that will respond to interruptions similar to the COVID 19 pandemic. The research will be conducted in 4 Higher Learning Institutions, and regulatory authorities in Kenya and Tanzania. Expected Outputs 1. Status of existing policy and regulatory process to support remote teaching and learning in higher education in response to pandemics identified. 2. The identified policy and regulatory best practices for supporting remote teaching and learning during interruptions or pandemics appraised. 3. The gaps in existing policy and regulatory mechanisms by benchmarking with the best practices appraised in (2) diagnosed. 4. A multi-level decision support tool for remote teaching and learning during interruptions and future pandemics developed. 5. A digital decision support tool for remote teaching and learning during pandemics developed.