Bridging the Digital Divide: Sustainable E-learning During Pandemics and Civil Unrest

Purpose: With the advent of the information age and the growth of the Internet, many countries worldwide have looked into ways to incorporate novice innovation from information technology into their educational system. In tandem with the growth of this new form of innovation in learning, the national innovation system in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) faced two main obstacles: policies that support the acceptance of novice innovation, and bridging the digital divide. Our study looks into the adoption of e-learning systems in Sudan and provides policies that would help increase the adoption of e-learning systems in Sudan. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper is based on reliable and valid constructs that have been validated in several settings. It employs PLS to explore the significance of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and price value, which shows an intention to use e-learning systems. Findings: At the macro level, the study points out a strong need for a public-private partnership to support innovation in e-learning, especially with the advent of pandemics such as COVID-19 and civil unrest. The partnership should work on lowering Internet costs (Internet mobile service provider side) and Internet taxation costs (government side) for students who use the Internet to access e-learning and universities that implement e-learning systems. At the micro-level (student level), performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and price value all showed a positive relationship with intention to use. Originality/Value: The study explores the validity and reliability of the UTAUT model in the context of Sudan as a North African country, paving the way for more quantitative and empirical research in Sudan. This study would pave the way for further extended research that looks into other factors affecting the development of e-learning systems in the developing world. On the practical side and at the micro-level, universities in Sudan and the MENA region must incorporate digital literacy courses from the student’s first year as soon as possible. These courses would empower them to be on the same level as their peers in other parts of the world and help them access the world of knowledge that the Internet has to offer. On the macro-level, public-private partnerships are essential in setting policies that reduce the cost incurred by the student in accessing the Internet across the MENA region. This partnership would help empower students to use these systems at an affordable price, bridging the gap that hinders them from accessing the Internet. Keywords: Sustainable Development; E-learning; Education; Civil Unrest; Digital Divide. Citation: Gibreel, O. and Abdalla, A. (2025): Bridging the Digital Divide: Sustainable E-learning During Pandemics and Civil Unrest. World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development (WJSTSD), Vol. 20, Nos 1/2, pp. WASD: London, United Kingdom.