• Dr.R.Dayanandan
• Mehlet Mengistu

The outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) worldwide had a significant impact on the global higher education institution as well as the community as a whole. The Ethiopian government adopted social confinement measures to combat COVID-19, which has resulted in the closure of all level education institutions throughout the country. This study was carried out to examine the effect of COVID-19 on private higher education institutions in Hawassa town, Ethiopia. The study employed a descriptive survey research design with a mixed research methods. To address the objectives, the available 10 accredited Private Higher Educational Institutions in the study area were categorized in to three colleges (Business, Technology, and Medical) and from each category one institution was selected by simple random sampling. To collect the data, 230 students, 45 teachers, and 54 college employees were selected by random sampling technique. To analyze the primary and secondary data the researcher used both quantitative and qualitative data analyzing methods. Percent, frequency, mean, standard deviation and ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the quantitative data, while the qualitative data was analyzed with narration. The study findings indicated that private higher education institutions found in the study area were closed during the COVID-19 outbreak. Also poor internet connection, lack of access to social media platform and lack of technology were the major challenges faced by the private higher education institutions to continue online learning during the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, 2020/21enrollment number of students also decreased when compared to the previous three academic years. Disruptions of academic calendar, extending graduation, disruption of exam schedule, failure to support researchers were the main effects of COVID-19 on teaching and learning process. The model results show that campus closure, challenge of learning from home, learning disruption, extending of admission of students, lack of technologies, extending of graduation, and disruption of academic calendar, were significantly affected the business operation of the sample institutions. It is recommended that institutions should work on developing solution for online learning, build of their ICT infrastructure and long term support by the government in terms of long-term loan and exemption of tax are essential to overcome the menace.

COVID-19, Private Higher Education Institutions, Business operation, Enrollment of Students

"THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION IN A TRANSITION COUNTRY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 5, page no.c374-c395, May-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2205347.pdf

"THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION IN A TRANSITION COUNTRY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 5, page no. ppc374-c395, May-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2205347.pdf