IMPACT OF COVID-19 AND SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN ECUADOR

Códigos JEL: I21, I23, I24, I28

Abstract

The abstract of the article allows us to synthesize the socioeconomic inequality exposed by COVID-19 in Ecuadorian higher education. It is assumed that these inequalities would be associated with a series of factors such as the digital divide in its dimensions of access, use and competition since students and applicants seek to enter distance courses with ignorance of technologies or not having the resources or possibilities of access technological equipment. The general objective of the article is to link from the theory the discussion about the agency capacity of students while their socioeconomic inequality is overcome by the enormous digital divide. The research method consists of statistical analysis, documentary review and recent works published in specialized journals, books and conferences carried out by regional institutional bodies to elaborate reflections on the disadvantages due to the technological factor and, the results on public policies in higher education in the face of the pandemic. The main results are to generate a debate on the agenda about which measures and mechanisms are the best to continue classes and the evaluation of how much educational socioeconomic inequality is mitigated. The scope of the research is to relate the educational discipline with public policies that agree to safeguard the health of the educational community, its institutions, scientifically and technologically support society. At the same time, improvisation during the health emergency for the implementation of distance courses, symposia and congresses remotely, distance entrance exams.