THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS: LEARNING FROM STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES IN PRESBYTERIAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, ABETIFI, GHANA

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly altered how we interact with one another. The novel COVID-19 pandemic that peaked in 2020 led to protocols that reduced social contact and relationships. When schools closed, students had less time to talk to each other, hurting their friendships and ability to learn. This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on Abetifi Presbyterian SHS students' social connectedness just after the easing of the lockdown restrictions. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology with an interpretivist viewpoint encapsulated within the inductive epistemological framework. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were employed to interview 40 students (SHS 1, 2, and 3). According to the findings of the study, COVID-19 made it more difficult for students to have social contact, making learning more difficult. The study further revealed that the closure of schools for several months limited students' close ties and social relationships. The study also indicated that peer connections and interactions had become weaker and more strained during the peak season of COVID-19. The findings have ramifications for managing COVID-19 and future pandemics and understanding social relationships amongst social actors. Educational governing authorities like the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service should maintain educational programmes that seek to rebuild social bonds damaged by pandemics.  Article visualizations: