Instructions for ISPACS 2003 Camera-Ready Manuscript Journal of Ultimate Research and Trends in Education ISSN: 2685-4252 (Online) and ISSN: 2685-0540 (Print) Vol. 4, No. 1, Maret 2022, pp: 29 – 38 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31849/utamax.v3i3.8242 29 Exploring challenges and opportunities of Remote Teaching at Nepalese Community Secondary Schools during Covid-19 Pandemic Hiranya Lal Lamsal Tribhuvan University, Butwal, Nepal meislamsal40@gmail.com ARTICLE HISTORY Received : 2021-09-19 Revised : 2022-02-26 Accepted : 2022-03-03 KEYWORDS Remote teaching Community secondary school Challenges and opportunities Teachers Digital literacy ABSTRACT In the Nepalese education system, synchronous teaching has not been practiced severely. Due to COVID-19 crisis, many schools are compelled to conduct the classes through virtual mode which is really a challenging phenomenon for the teachers especially in community schools. The main purpose of this study was to explore challenges and opportunities of remote teaching for teachers at Community Secondary Schools in Nepal. Whether they take this as a challenge of teaching or chance for learning. Employing a phenomological design of qualitative research, the researcher selected 26 teachers from 13 community secondary schools of Devdaha Municipality in Rupandehi district. From each of the schools, 2 secondary level teachers were chosen as the population purposively. The researcher designed a set of open-ended questions and conducted semi-structured interview to the teachers of each school in order to collect data for the research. In this study, the researcher focuses on the effectiveness and significance of remote teaching by exploring its obstacles, challenges, and opportunities for the teachers. The result of the study asserted that remote teaching is effective if the designated challenges and obstacles are addressed in an expected manner. The majority of the teachers responded that online teaching is such a platform that makes every teacher familiar with different kinds of resources and it always provides an opportunity for developing innovation and creativity. Similarly, virtual mode provides ample chances to boost communication towards various national and international conferences, online sessions, and so on. Online teaching creates opportunities to access and share information more easily and readily for the teachers at community schools in Nepal. 1. Introduction Nepal is a small Himalayan country, being landlocked country first encounters of the COVID-19 pandemic in the phase two, especially the transmission caused from the foreign countries. Then the government announced formal measures and restrictions on the public mobility. Because of the lockdowns, many schools and universities in Nepal have been temporarily shut down for about six months. Due to the compulsory closure of schools and universities for a considerable period of time, the educational activities have changed dramatically. Many discussions were appeared regarding to conduct teaching and learning activities in the school and universities. Various countries have developed a range of measures to respond to pandemic depending on their available resources. For example, countries which are technologically advanced such as America, UK, France, Australia and many European countries have adopted distance learning as a means to conduct teaching and learning activities in the schools and universities. They quickly commenced their e- learning platforms. On the other hand, countries without plenty of infrastructure are using to traditional means of technologies such as radio and TV to conduct teaching learning activities in the schools. As a low income country, Nepal has big gaps in comparison with other developed countries in conducting teaching learning activities during the pandemic period. The present scenarios indicate that in Nepal are affected differently by the pandemic .The current technology infrastructure and the distribution of access in the urban and the rural areas have created two tiers of inequalities in the Nepalese citizenry. There are some sorts of facilities available in the urban regarding the modern advanced technology but rural areas have unavailability of it. Anyway, this pandemic has made everyone think an alternative way to teach the students. Recently, few schools have started to run online classes. Generally everyone believes that virtual/online teaching learning activities will probably never be an alternative to face-to-face https://doi.org/10.31849/utamax.v3i3.8242 30 teaching particularly in the schools context. There are various challenges to conduct online mode of teaching in the government schools of Nepal. Many students are from poor socio-economic background and even the teachers have digital illiteracy .There may be the obstacle of power outage .Teachers are simply forced to do the job. These situations raise several questions such as have we considered whether teachers are able to run online classes? Don’t they need training on online teaching? Do all the teachers have access to internet and digital devices? The technology such as Wi-Fi internet services aren’t available in remote areas, so that the majors telecommunication companies like Nepal Telecom, Ncell, and others network can have high data charges. Many people in Nepal cannot on data to broaden their mind; they must give first priority to their food to sustain lives in such crisis time. Due to this fatal pandemic, many people are dying of hunger and some have even committed suicide because of the scarcity of food. In this scenario, internet cannot be expected to be affordable to each student in Nepal. Furthermore, most teachers in Nepal aren’t well trained for online classes. Online teaching requires trained and skillful teachers. Many teachers are ignorant towards the digital literacy there is also the problem of load shedding that always put pressure to conduct online classes in an expected manner. Regarding this matter, Mohamedbhai (2020) exactly points out: It is a fallacy that online learning can be effective by merely posting a lecture’s notes online or having a video recording of the lecture. Quality online learning requires that the teaching aid is made by an expert instructional designer, that the lecture is educationally trained for conducting the program and the pupils are equally revealed to the pedagogy of online teaching and learning .Actually, unplanned online delivery will have a severe impact on the quality and presentation of the program. Thus, it indicates that the teachers in Nepal are provided with training opportunities for remote teaching as almost all of them haven’t done the job before. Here, it is needed to ensure that each student gets access to technology and internet. But most of the students are from lower socio-economic status in community schools in Nepal. In such circumstances, to conduct remote teaching is really a challenging task in the community secondary schools of Nepal. 1.1 Remote teaching: An overview Remote teaching is a kind of Synchronous teaching. Here it’s good to familiar what the word ‘remote’ means, there’s more to this to comprehend and. Why not just call it online teaching or ‘Distance Learning’?, the concept of ‘remote teaching’ isn’t permanent perception of it because there was some need to receive a traditional classroom teaching and transferring towards online. In the recent days the COVID-19 pandemic focused on the remote teaching and learning as a result of school shutting down entirely in the global scenario. In a very short span of moment, schools and universities had to halt their present teaching and learning activities with other processes such as curriculum, assessment, and instruction into an internet learning and teaching space. Actually, that does not display and reveals the weakness. Different types of Courses made to be conducted through online that can be provided to take merits of the online teaching and learning while compromising for its drawbacks and demerits. Assume how complex and inappropriate it would be to receive an online course and almost over day and night transform it into a teaching series of units, lessons, and activities. It would, of course, be clumsy and absurd. Contrary when a school is forced to ‘move’ the ‘class’ online for a long period of time, agreements have to be done to handle the teaching learning activities. In remote teaching, teachers are doing their very best to re-conduct the school year’s value h of work into an online space. So often, various online spaces using tools they don’t always get to select while congesting it all to be getable to every single person in the (this time remote) classroom. The challenges of doing this well is monumental. To perform such over a long period of time with the fixed and limited tools and resources most tutors are handed simply, isn’t durable but that will be a concern topic to investigate in the coming days. In such circumstances, the developed countries are applying new strategies to run academic activities. China has planned flexible online teaching methodologies to facilitate learning. It has strengthened online security through the collaboration of all service providers and created a provision of psych-social assistance for ensuring 100% online learning (Azzi-Huck & Shmis, 2020). But in Nepal, most people cannot spend to keep internet at their houses and there are no any good plan and policies from the government side too. Phuyal (2020) argues that most people in Nepal are not able to spend on data; they must give priority to their food to sustain their lives in such a crisis, internet cannot be expected to be affordable to each student in Nepal. While considering about the virtual class, Stanley (2019) discusses that online teaching is the practice of teaching a language between the persons interactively via videoconferencing. Similarly he enumerates that it varies from Tele-collaboration which especially gives priority on enabling language teaching and learning activities to take place rather than on intercultural collaboration. In the virtual teaching, both students and teachers interact through two-way communication technologies that are differed from face-to-face presentation. In the same way. remote teaching is also known to as live online language teaching process to indicate to synchronous (i.e. in real-time) computer assisted communication for language teaching (Swertz et al., 2007). In remote teaching, teachers focus on both pedagogy and technology to provide 31 huge opportunities for effective learning and collaboration beyond the physical classroom. The teaching learning activities involve various methods, concepts and ways that are much more connected with the new advance technologies. Regarding the online teaching process, In Belz and Thorne’s (2006) view, RLT aids learners’ interaction with the teachers and groups, peers, encourages them to have much more converse, debate, and mutual and intercultural exchange. Remote teaching is known to as live online language teaching the learners in real-time computer- mediated communication for language teaching. Whereas, Whyte and Gijsen (2016) discuss that there is an adequate challenges for the teachers to conduct the classes remotely than for daily face-to-face classes. Tutors are dedicated to assisting the learners with these various ways of performing and teaching them in the best way possible. Teachers need and prepare appropriate and written teaching materials to take the benefit of the teaching and learning context and receiving method (i.e. video conferencing).Hence remote teaching is an advance and novice innovative way of adjusting cultural, social and geographical distances and makes the teaching and learning activity of languages to pupil who would unless have the chances. Remote teaching occurs outside of a physical classroom. Facilitators are far from their learners in time and distance. It is particularly conducted through technology, such as video conferencing software, discussion boards or learning management systems. This kind of teaching activity may be virtual; where the learners watch teachers deliver their classes live where learners watch lecture recordings at a later time in the form of recorded version. In addition to this, remote teaching, which is synonymous with e- learning, takes place online. Both teachers and the learners communicate via two-way communication technologies. In fact the best practices for remote teaching indulge: supplying ongoing reinforcement, feedback, preparing homework guidelines fair, and making effective use of online resources and documents. In this regard, Dhawan (2020) asserts that virtual learning can be a boon in this pandemic period. “Computer literacy makes the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills” (Digital Literacy Task Force,2013,p.2). “Children from low income families are at double disadvantages during the crisis period, school closure: interruption to class time and economic uncertainty” (Tiruneh, 2020). It indicates that virtual teaching is not an easy task to be conducted. At the present time in Nepal, many community schools are conducting remote teaching due to severe impact of the COVID-19, i.e. second variants of it. However, the fatal pandemic has shown the essentiality for the readiness of teachers to conduct online teaching for the continuation of the education system. Many schools and universities have been halted without running teaching learning academic activities s because most of the teachers have lack of knowledge towards digital technology, online mode and many more. They are only familiar about conducting effective face-to-face classroom activities. Actually to conduct virtual teaching platform for them is not easy task. They have both challenges and opportunities while conducting the class through remote teaching mode. If they start teaching through online process, they will have ample opportunities to deliver knowledge of digital technology. In such scenario, the present study is carried out in order to explore the effectiveness and opportunities of remote teaching for the teachers especially in community secondary schools. Similarly, it is equally attempted to find out the obstacles and challenges faced by teachers and students while conducting remote teaching. Therefore, this present study intended to reveals “What are the challenges and opportunities of remote teaching for teachers at Community Secondary Schools in Nepal?” 2. Literature Review Face–to-face teaching learning has been traditionally implemented in Nepal educational system. Most of the community based schools are not using computer based teaching learning process to some extent till now. Especially, highly facilitated private schools in urban areas of Nepal have conducted ICT based platform in the classroom for teaching learning activities. The advent of fatal pandemic i.e. COVID-19 has severely affected the face-to-face teaching and learning environment globally, including Nepal too suffered a lot by lockdown, staying in isolation, home quarantine and social distancing. Because of such long lock down period, the government of Nepal has stopped face-to- face classroom teaching and encouraged to start the class through virtual mode. There are full of challenges for the teachers to conduct remote teaching especially in the Community secondary schools because there aren’t proper internet accesses in the school, at teachers and students’ houses. On the other side most of the teachers are unaware of using technology because many of the Secondary level teacher belong to over fifty in their ages. They have digital illiteracy. Therefore, this study is trying to explore the perception of every community secondary teachers towards online teaching mode and while conducting, what kinds of obstacles, challenges they are facing. Besides to what extent they are getting opportunities to upgrade digital literacy. Here, the main purpose of the literature review is to analyze and discuss the past records, history and best practices of remote teaching in the schools, colleges and university. Review of previous literature is essential to comprehend the groundwork which has already been researched and presented by the researchers on 32 areas related to the study. To comprehend the research areas in-depth, the researchers will review the literature associated with the core concepts. Based on different journals and magazines, e-resource, electronic data base and book sites of literature whatever the researcher found he has reviewed thoroughly with taking its concepts and analyzed them. The researcher went through a number of national and international research studies related to remote teaching and found some studies have been carried out in it. However, this is quite new. The researcher has reviewed some of the recently carried out studies in this field. In the online teaching learning process, there have some research studies, to review some, Son et.al. (2011) argued the skills of Indonesian English language teachers and reviewed that teachers frequency of using computer applications in the classroom was minimal though they had positive perceptions towards using computer assisted language learning and teaching. In addition to this, Beauchamp (2012) insisted that ICT provides a number of advantages, both essential and combined, which contribute to broaden and designate the procedures used inside the classroom. ICT, as a communicative tool, could the learners able to look instant sequences for specific matter which might help in their understanding. This study found out that ICT in education provides ample benefits for the teachers and the students. In the same scenario, Ransburg (2018) reviewed on positive outcomes in online teaching and found that learning practices can enhance student satisfaction and encouragement. Obstacles and Challenges in the online context imply the necessity for improvement in pre-requisite and organizational assistance. Here; assistance denotes training of facilitators and educators to bring reform in ICT performance, competencies and multidisciplinary team support to upgrade course preparation, design and distribution. This study found out that online teaching and learning can encourage satisfaction and retention not only the teachers but also to the students. The case study conducted by Basilaia and Kavavadze (2020) in a private institution in Georgia about the executing online education found that thought there occurred challenging in conducting online mode in the quick transition. It resulted that online form of education was successful. In this matter, Bucker et.al (2020) rightly pointed out that schools and teachers will be under extremely pressure while conducting the class through online mode, the focus should be given to what the teachers need to do and ultimately it makes the learners prepare for a better future. Using ICT based education, Dawadi and Giri (2020) investigated that Nepal has prepared a number of ICT and education based plan and policies since 2000; but the challenges it is approaching in the arrival of Covid-19 are generally due to its wrongly application of appropriate methods, strategies and inability to apply those plan and policies. This study explored online teaching and learning is an important alternative during the Covid-19 period. Poudel (2020) asserted that online education can be a different and alternative medium of traditional education, if mixed approach is applied, the academic process would be more influential and successful in the contexts like Nepal. The study explored that online education can be a good alternative in comparison to the traditional approach to teaching and learning. After going through different research studies related to the topic, the researcher turned up to know that online teaching can encourage both the teachers and the students in teaching and learning process because it has some opportunities despite its challenges. However, none of the researchers have carried out this type of study on Exploring the challenges and opportunities of remote teaching for teachers at Community Secondary Schools in Nepal. The objective of the present study was to explore the challenges and opportunities of remote teaching for teachers at community secondary schools of Nepal. 3. Method The present study was carried out to explore the challenges and obstacles faced by community secondary level teachers of Nepal The study adopted a phenomological research design, that “describes the meaning for several individuals of their lived experiences of the concept or a phenomenon” (Creswell, 2007, p.57) with a focus “on the participants’ perceptions of the event or situation “ (Williams, 2007, p.69). This research study is qualitative in nature in that it attempts to explore information regarding the challenges and opportunities of remote teaching for teachers at Community Secondary Schools in Nepal. 3.1 Participants The participants of the study consisted of 26 teachers from 13 community secondary schools in Nepal. From each of the schools, 2 secondary level English teachers were chosen using purposive sampling technique. The participants were notified before, after and during the research activities about the objectives. 3.2 Data Collection To collect the data, this study used a set of open ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview for the participants. Questions and interview were developed using mainly two sections: challenges and opportunities of remote teaching for teachers at Community Secondary Schools. The data from each participant was collected through questionnaire, and interviewed based on semi-structured interview protocols. The questionnaire was developed in Google form and distributed using e-mail and messenger. The interview was conducted using telephone and with their permission it was recorded. Before sending the 33 questions, the researcher briefly explained the purpose of the research, then, established rapport for the development of familiarity and trust between researchers and the participants by sending a sincere message. After that, the researcher received the data under the permission and ethical circumstances. The researcher edited and coded the collected data properly and organized, interpreted and analyzed them generating different themes descriptively. 3.3 Data Collection and Analysis Procedures To collect the data, this study used a set of open ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview for the participants. Questions and interview were developed using mainly two sections: challenges and opportunities of remote teaching for teachers at Community Secondary Schools. Each participants was asked mainly two questions: 1) What challenges do you face while conducting remote teaching class at Community Secondary Schools?. 2) What sort of opportunities do you notice while conducting remote teaching class at Community Secondary Schools?. In addition to this questionnaire, teachers were interviewed based on semi-structured interview protocols. The questionnaire was developed in Google form and distributed using e-mail and messenger. The interview was conducted using telephone and with their permission it was recorded. After that, the researcher received the data under the permission and ethical circumstances. The researcher edited and coded the collected data properly and organized, interpreted and analyzed them generating different themes descriptively. 4. Findings The researcher analyzed participants’ views from a set of open ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Questions and interview were developed using mainly two sections: challenges and opportunities of remote teaching for teachers at Community Secondary Schools that were enumerated descriptively. 4.1 The Challenges of Remote Teaching at Community Secondary schools in Nepal Remote teaching is Synchronous teaching that is beyond the traditional classroom teaching. Taking the classes through virtual mode especially in community schools keep always pressure for the teachers. Along with several brighter sides of remote teaching in this digital era, teachers of community secondary schools revealed some darker sides of it. After analyzing the data, the following challenges and obstacles of remote teaching have been explored: 4.1.1 Internet Connectivity issues for all the students There is no much more availability of internet connectivity to all the students. Most of the students are from underprivileged status and rural communities too. Majority of the teachers responded that most of the students who come to study in the school fall under lacking material possessions. There are many families who couldn’t afford basic needs of their children. So, using internet and wifi is far from their expectation. They used mobile data and some of them take help from their neighbor. In such circumstances, conducting remote teaching is full of challenging and troublesome. In this context, the teacher of “A” Secondary School claimed, “Economically backward students are unable to attend in remote teaching programme; whenever I asked them to join in it they frequently replied that they did not have any access of internet and Wi-Fi. They revealed that their fellow friends sometimes went to their neighbor in order to attend online classes.” [Telephone:1:see in Appendix……] From his response, the study came to know that there is no proper access of connectivity for all the students that are a great obstacle to handle remote teaching. 4.1.2 Students Participation/Engagement Remote teaching and face-to-face teaching in the classroom is so many differences. In the classroom teaching, student’s engagement and attendance is always high whereas in the virtual class, there is a great issue of student’s engagement. In order to access to the internet and to devices, tutors concern themselves with the challenge of students’ participation in the online environment. Teacher of “B” Secondary school asserted, “In my class, there are 48 students who were attended and engaged regularly in classroom teaching, but in remote teaching hardly 20/21 students attended and participated in group activities. I have found that students’ engagement and attendance is very low so that I couldn’t perform effectively in online mode”. [E-mail:1…] Students’ participation, engagement and attendance play crucial role in teaching and learning process, if it lacks, no teacher imagines his/her teaching will be effective. 4.1.3 Parental Involvement / Guidance Parents’ support and guidance always play unique role in shaping child’s behavior towards learning. If no proper attention towards their children, only school couldn’t do everything. Besides school times, every children spend much time at home. Sometimes schools seek out families in need and safely provide the childcare and tutoring those students require. In this context, teacher of “C” Secondary School shared his experience thus. “Most of the students’ parents in our areas are illiterate, they couldn’t be able to provide https://www.theedadvocate.org/using-video-to-maintain-the-human-connection-during-the-covid-19-school-closures/ 34 support or directly involve in their children teaching learning process. Some of the students’ parents have gone to abroad for the sake of their livelihood. Those students are looked after by grandparents who are old in age and don’t know how to guide today’s digitalized age kids The children are also less supervised by the parents while taking the classes. There are more chances of getting distracted and being engaged in playing online games”. [E-mail:2…] Here, the teacher’s experience showed that in such circumstances, where there are no good attention and involvement of parents towards their children, it is a great challenge to every teacher to conduct classes through remote teaching. 4.1.3 Digital Literacy and Level of Competence In remote teaching, digital literacy is essential for every teachers and students. Even the teachers are unaware of using laptops and computer. On the other side, all the students did not have the same digital literacy and level of competency. The students faced problems while submitting the assignments, communicating with the teachers, and handling the tools. In this regard, one 55 years old teacher of “D” Secondary School asserted, “I have a problem of handling classes through online mode. I couldn’t operate the laptops and computer properly. I have few years remaining to do retire .My mind hasn’t captured all this. I have become old enough to run class through virtual mode. I am unaware of searching information and materials through internet. Therefore, I feel it’s a great challenge for me to overcome it”. [Telephone:2…] The opinion indicated that for the remote teaching digital literacy and level of competence is essential for both teachers and students. Therefore, it is a great obstacle for every teacher to be updated with the new technology. 4.1.4 Time–Consuming for the Teachers Teaching through virtual mode isn’t an easy task for the teachers. They have to spend much more time to prepare materials for the class. It is very time- consuming for the teachers to design the lessons and spending more on screen. The teachers have to spend more time preparing different slides for PowerPoint presentations and giving feedback to the students because of the technical problems sometimes the teachers are unable to give the class and communicate with the learners properly. In this circumstance, teacher of “E” Secondary School expressed his experience. “I think, remote teaching has some challenges and obstacles to every teacher, while I was taking the class through online mode, I had to spend much more time for preparing many slides for PowerPoint presentation. Sometimes, I searched much information in the web. Internet is really helpful to search information and it also assists to learn us about some new information that brings the teaching lively and fresh”. [Telephone:3…] The experience of the teacher showed that remote teaching is a great threat because one has to spend much more time for preparing materials i.e. designing slides for PowerPoint presentations. 4.1.5 Power cuts and Disconnection While conducting the synchronous class, electric power and internet connection should be paid under consideration. No power and connection means no possible of remote teaching. In this condition, teacher of “F” Secondary School imparted his ideas, “Recently, power cuts issues have been seen .It creates an internet connection problem. Many times I faced this problem so that I couldn’t able to run class that particular day”. [Telephone:4…] The idea of the teacher exhibited that power cuts and disconnection of internet are the challenges to be faced while running the class through virtual mode. 4.2. Opportunities of Remote Teaching at Community Secondary schools in Nepal In every darkness, there hides dazzling brightness. In the same way, although there are many challenges and obstacles of remote teaching, it has many opportunities for every teacher who involves in it. After analyzing the data, the following opportunities of remote teaching have been asserted: 4.2.1 Broaden Communication Remote teaching not only makes update with technology but it also develops the communicating skills of the teachers. It always broadens communication between home and school. When the teaching learning activities don’t learn from the school, at that time, through the use of online mode the communication between teacher and students, home and school can be launched. In this context, teacher from “F” Secondary School revealed, “I found online teaching is really appealing. It made me to be aware of playing with new technology that is quite helpful to broaden communication between the teacher and the students during the virtual session. Besides, it is equally fruitful to develop our communication with other seminars, conferences and online mode sessions”. [E-mail:4…] 35 The perception of the teacher asserted that remote teaching provides ample opportunities to develop our communication towards various conferences, online virtual sessions and programmes and so on. 4.2.2 Developing Innovation and Creativity Although remote teaching entails some difficult issues, it presents a chance for developing innovation and creativity; online teaching is platform for upgrading our innovative ideas and developing creative mind which can be beneficial for our personality growth and also genuinely helpful in teaching learning process too. In this matter, teacher from “G” Secondary School explored her idea, “In this digital era, remote teaching has lots of benefits and assets. If you want to be innovative in your ideas, then you need to be updated with the novice assumptions that you can obtain from different virtual sessions. It is such kind of platform, where you can upgrade your professional career in the next level. Nowadays we should think learn locally and fit globally”. [E-mail:3…] The idea of the teacher indicated that remote teaching makes every teacher aware of online teaching platform and it helps everyone to develop their level of perception. It creates a chance to upgrade personal growth as well as creativity. 4.2.3 Availability of Resources for planning lessons and Projects Online network not only enables instant communication with students and their families but it also helps to explore appropriate resources for preparing lessons and the projects. It is an opportunity to the teachers that they will be familiar with different sites to use it for various lessons and the designs for the projects. In this context, teacher from “H” Secondary School opined, “I found remote teaching beneficial in the sense that it helps me to be familiar with different resources from the internet which I have to use to the students. I am now totally acquainted with availability of resources for the planning of the lessons and different kinds of projects”. [Telephone:5…] The opinion of the teacher imparted that remote teaching is such a station from where you can be familiar with different kinds of resources that are essential in your teaching leaning process. 5. Discussion The study results reveal that virtual teaching learning in Nepalese community secondary school is extremely challenging task due to various obstacles such no adequate access to internet in all the community schools. There are internet connectivity issues for all the students that make low participation of the students. When, the teachers ask the students about their absence in the virtual class, most of the students’ response that they don’t have internet facility at their houses that ultimately hinder the students’ learning process. It also creates challenges to every teacher to make students participation compulsorily. Similarly, parental guidance is another genuine aspect because that make the students propel towards their better learning. In the absence of the parents ,students don’t pay much more attention towards their study especially in virtual mode; whether they are studying or only hanging on the internet .Another obstacles or challenges appear is power cuts and disconnection. Due to this, virtual class cannot be able to run smoothly Though, Nepal is rich in water resources, there is less electricity produced that make power outage and disconnection problem which directly affects the learning atmosphere for the students during this covid-19 pandemic period, it is a great challenge for the teachers to conduct online class. Likewise, most of the teachers have digital illiteracy, which is a great challenge of remote teaching in community school. If the teachers don’t know about operating computers and laptops, then, in this virtual mode of teaching, they will face great obstacles to conduct remote teaching classes. So level of competence about digital literacy plays vital role in virtual mode learning class. On other hand, Phuyal (2020) asserts that most of the guardians or people in Nepal cannot spend data to enlarge their thirst of learning; they must give initial emphasis to their basic needs to sustain their breaths in such a critical period. Due to this fatal pandemic, many people are facing famine and some of them committed suicide because of scarcity of food. In such scenario, internet cannot be considered to be available to each pupil in the country like Nepal. So, conducting remote reaching is a great obstacle for every teacher especially in Community Secondary Schools where students of under privileged are studying. Regarding teachers’ background, it is the fact that teachers in Nepal are not provided with training opportunities for online teaching. Most of them have not performed the task earlier. Rai (2020) argues that a few organizations such as Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University of Nepal have commenced virtual training lecturers but in the school levels, no any virtual training has been conducted so far. Poudel (2020) points out that the Nepalese government has just started to broadcast a few classes on radio and television, but all the students cannot get access to that platform of learning as 20% people in Nepal have no access to radio and television. The Ministry of education is seeking for a new plan to address those 20% students especially from Community schools whose parents are illiterate. Vahid (2020) discusses that students perhaps have some problems such as some may have family duties 36 at homes for caring and looking after their parents and kinships, some may have taking care senior citizen parents and some other may have burden of family. It is considered that teaching online mode in community secondary schools have full of troublesome in such pandemic situation. Almost all the teachers are unaware of using internet in classroom teaching in the Secondary School level specifically community schools. In this regard, the remote teaching is effective if the designated challenges and obstacles be addressed in an expected manner. Majority of the teachers responded that online teaching is such a platform which makes every teacher familiar with different kinds of resources and it always provides an opportunity for developing innovation and creativity. Due to the remote teaching activity, teachers get an opportunity to absorb ample information about handling digital technology .It makes an obligation to every teacher familiar about the virtual mode and using laptops and computer. It is the time to mound with technology by involving in remote teaching platform. Familiar with remote teaching with digital medium is always assets for every teacher who has digital illiteracy. In the context of Nepal, very few teachers have digital illiteracy especially in community secondary schools. For them, remote teaching is a great obstacle at the beginning but later on, when they have to teach the class in virtual mode in any way, then, they are bound to transfer themselves and build the level of competence in digital technology. Similarly, virtual mode provides ample chances to boost communication towards various national and international conferences, online sessions and so on. Gijsen (2016) arguments that there appears a great challenge for the teachers to conduct the classes virtually than face-to-face classes. Teaching the students through physically participation brings the class lively and students also seem to be very attentive. Every teacher has habituated to teach in the class room but most of the teachers are unaware of using technology .They should be trained about virtual class about a week for preparing their online classes. It will certainly make them familiar with the technology and an update regarding the teaching subject matter which is a vital assets and opportunity for every teacher. As the studies reviewed for the study suggest that online/remote learning shall probably never be the best option to face-to-face learning in the classroom especially in the community schools because there are various affective components missing in the process of learning and teaching. However, it can be inferred that online education creates opportunities to access and share information more easily and readily. Tutors and the learners are able to participate into online communities of practice, based on their areas of interest rather than different geographical location. Similarly, Dhawan (2020) talks that virtual learning can be a vital asset in this pandemic period where traditional method of teaching cannot be performed. This pandemic got us to consider an alternative way to teach the students. During this period, the emphasis and priority should be more on virtual learning including television, radio and online education mode. In addition to this, Paudel (2020) opines that online education can be a different and alternative medium of traditional education. The study explores that remote teaching can be a good platform in this crisis period. In such circumstances, remote/online is the best medium to conduct teaching learning activities. Virtual platform can boost up the learners learning experience by creating ample chances for cross- disciplinary and cross-cultural activities in the country like Nepal, like any other low-income countries, has a big gaps among its citizenry in the case of their socio- economic and educational background. The present system of education and disproportionate distribution of its means and resources have often been blamed for the widening gaps between the haves and have-nots, in the arrival of COVID-19, the digital divide and the uneven access to e-learning and resources will increase the gaps. The present scenarios indicate that students in Nepal are affected differently by the pandemic. Likewise, Online learning mode enhances digital literacy skills that are highly essential in contemporary society and workplace environments, and it gathers a mechanism for proportionate opportunity among the pupils and the teachers living with a disability, or who have accessibility obstacles that restrict their ability to attend a face-to-face class medium. 6. Conclusion The study has surveyed the challenges and obstacles appear while conducting online teaching learning process in the Nepalese community secondary schools. It also aims to explore the opportunities in teaching online class for every teacher of community secondary schools in Nepal. This study found that community secondary school teachers had faced challenges to conduct virtual classes due to low participation of the students, no proper access of internet to the community schools and students are from poor background, parents have less awareness towards the online teaching class. Similarly, the study indicated that it made the teachers active and dynamic in their teaching learning activities. Those teachers who were illiterate in operating computer, they got an opportunity to be familiar using it and they could participate indifferent virtual conferences, seminars and workshops that assisted them in their professional development. Online teaching made every community teacher should be updated in their pedagogical knowledge. Thus, remote teaching is conducted by teachers performing their very best to re-construct an entire school year’s value of work into an online mode and often various kinds of online spaces using tools they 37 don’t always get to choose while preparing it all to be reachable to every single person/learners in the online classroom. The challenges of doing this well is monumental. To do it over a long period of time–with the limited means, tools and resources most facilitators are given–simply isn’t durable but that’s a topic to investigate in the coming day. The data shows that remote teaching has adequate benefits such as: increased flexibility of time and location; online resource, diverse and enriching experience; access equity, disability and information sharing. Online education creates opportunities to access and share information more easily and readily. Especially, Teachers and students are able to participate online communities of practice based on their areas of interest rather than different geographical location. In addition to this, virtual medium keeps access to greater depth and breadth of resources and information. Finally yet most importantly, this study will assist to find out the challenges and obstacles that the community teachers faced while going through remote teaching classes. Similarly, they will also see bundle of opportunities in the arena of teaching and learning process, which can be beneficial to upgrade the standard of education by applying new modes of teaching. So, the researcher expects this study can contribute particularly to fellow teachers, teacher educators and students. In addition, the researcher has expected that it can be one of the additional resources for the policy makers, syllabus designers for improving the existing curriculum and make the suitable policy for digital education. The future researchers will get benefits from the study. 7. Acknowledgment I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive feedback to improve this article. I have no conflict of interest. References Acharya, C.P. (2014). Use of ICT/web tools in ELTin Nepal. Journal of NELTA, 19(1-2), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v19i1-2.12076 Aydin, S. (2013). Teachers’ perception about the use of computers in EFL teaching and learning: The Case of Turkey. Computer-assisted language Learning, 26 (3), 214-233. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2012.654495 Basilaia,G., & Kvavadze, D. (2020).Transition to online education in schools during a SARS-Cov- 2 pandemicin Georgia. Pedagogical Research, 5 (4), 1-9. Beauchamp. (2012). ICT in the primary school in pedagogy to practice. London: Pearson, . Bell, B.S., & Fedeman,J.E. (2013). E-Learning in post secondary education. The future of children, 23(1), 165-185. Belz, J. A. & Thorne, S. L.(2006). Internet-mediated intercultural foreign language education. Thomson Heinle. Burns.C, & Myhil, D. (2004). Interactive or inactive? The nature of interaction in whole class teaching. Cambridge Journal of Education, 34 (1). 35-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764042000183115 Chen, Y.L. (2008).A mixed-method study of EFL teachers’ Internet use in language instruction. Teaching and Teacher education, 24 (4), 1015- 1028. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.07.002 Daniel, S. J. (2020). Education and the COVID-19 pandemic. Prospects, 49(1), 91-96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-020-09464-3 Dawadi, S., Giri, R. A., & Simkhada, P. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on the Education Sector in Nepal: Challenges and Coping Strategies. Online Submission-SagePub. Preprint. https://doi.org/10.31124/advance.12344336.v1 Dhawan, S. (2020). Online learning: A Panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis. Journal of Educational Technology systems, 49 (1), 5-22. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0047239520934018 Digital Literacy Task Force. (2013). Digital literacy, libraries, and public policy. Report of the office of Information Technology Policy’s digital Literary task Force. Lawarence, S.A., & Calhoun, F. (2013). Exploring teachers’ perceptions of literacy and use of technology in classroom practice:Analysis of self-reported practice in one school districe. Journal of Literacy and Technology. 14 (1), 51- 71. Mohamedbhai, G. (2020). COVID-19: What consequences for higher education? University World News. Africa Edition. http://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?s tory=20200407064850279 Phuyal, D. K. (2020, 29 April). Challenges of virtual classes. The Himalayan. https://the himalayantimes.com. Paudel, P. (2021). Online education: Benefits, challenges and strategies during and after COVID-19 in higher education. International Journal on Studies in Education, 3(2), 70-85. Rai.G. (2020, 25th April). Virtual kashya sikdai TU ka panch saya pradhayapak. The Kantipur News. http://ekantipur.com/news/2020/04/25/15877936 948232315.html?fbclid-IwAROTW7MyX. van Rensburg, E. S. J. (2018). Effective online teaching and learning practices for undergraduate health sciences students: An 38 integrative review. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 9, 73-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2018.08.004 Son, J. B., Robb, T., & Charismiadji, I. (2011). Computer literacy and competency :A survey of Indonesian teachers’ of English as a foreign language. Computer-Asssisted Language Learning Electronic Journal (CALL-EJ), 12(1), 26-42. Stanley, G.(2019). Innovation in education remote teaching. British Council. Swertz, C., Motteram, G., Philp, H. & Gonul, S. (2007). Language learning with certified live online language teachers: Teacher Manual. Leonardi da Vinci. https://www.scribd.com/document/198458088/L ANCELOT-Teacher-Manual. Thapaliya,M.P.(2014).English Teachers’ perceptions and practices of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Kathmandu district , Nepal. International Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review, 2 (10), 251- 258. Tiruneh, D. T.(2020). COVID-19 school closures may forther widen the inquality gaos between the advantaged and the disadvantaged in Ethipia. https://www.ukfiet.org/2020/COVID-19. Trucano, M. (10). principles to consider when introducing ICTs into remote, low-income educational environments. EduTech: A World Bank Blog on ICT use in Education. https://blogs.worldbank.org/edutech/10- principles-consider-when-introducing-icts- remote-low-income-educational-environments Vahid, F, (2020). A message from a professor to fellow professors and students about at- home learning during COVID-19. http://www.youtube.com/watch?y=DAqgSUaX8 FA&feature.