Perceptions of COVID-19 and the demand for integrated virtual educational system in Developing countries: Evidence from students in Senegal.

COVID-19 emerged in late 2019 and has since been a global pandemic. One sector that is brutal hit is the educational sector, especially as schools must be closed and restrictions on movements of people introduced and enforced. Several interventions including the virtual learning platforms in all learning stages were introduced to offset its impacts. This study analyzed the perceptions of tertiary students on COVID-19 and the demand for an integrated virtual educational system in Senegal. This involved 297 students in the second year or higher in the university. The results established mixed perceptions of students on COVID-19 which feed into the public perceptions of the pandemic in the country. Generally, there is a low interest in students in integrated virtual education, and this was influenced by factors such as low access to quality Wi-Fi services and access to scholarship education. It is recommended that the school authorities must ensure improved internet services on campus while national policies are designed to reduce the cost of internet services