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Kritika Das
Independent Researcher
India
Abstract
Governments worldwide have introduced online education subsidies—financial incentives, technology vouchers, or fee waivers—to mitigate learning disruptions and maintain school continuity, especially during crises such as the COVID‑19 pandemic. This study evaluates the efficacy of such subsidies in preserving students’ attendance rates, learning progression, and psychosocial engagement across primary and secondary education sectors. Drawing on a mixed‑methods approach, we analyze quantitative data from 3,500 students across five Indian states and qualitative interviews with 50 educators and parents. Results indicate that subsidy recipients experienced 85% average continuity in school engagement—significantly higher than the 62% observed among non‑recipients (p < .001). Qualitative findings reveal that while financial aid increased access, challenges such as digital literacy, device sharing, and inconsistent internet connectivity moderated its impact.
Moreover, our findings underline the critical interplay between financial support and systemic factors: teacher readiness, community engagement, and infrastructure reliability emerged as key mediators. Subsidies that were coupled with targeted digital‑pedagogy training for educators saw a 15% further increase in assignment completion rates. In rural contexts, establishing local “learning hubs” funded through subsidy programmes enhanced peer collaboration and reduced isolation. Importantly, the cost–benefit analysis suggests that every dollar invested in subsidies yielded an estimated 1.8‑dollar return in sustained educational engagement and reduced dropout risk.
This research contributes to the literature by offering a nuanced, India‑focused case study on subsidy design and its operationalization. It provides policymakers with evidence‑based recommendations for integrating financial incentives within broader digital education ecosystems. The study also highlights areas for refinement—such as adaptive learning platforms and offline content repositories—to ensure equitable learning pathways. Ultimately, our work demonstrates that well‑structured online education subsidies serve as a powerful tool for safeguarding school continuity, provided they are embedded within a comprehensive framework of teacher support and infrastructure development.
Keywords
Online education subsidies; school continuity; digital learning access; educational equity; blended learning
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