OPTIMIZING ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORMS TO ENHANCE EQUITABLE STEM EDUCATION ACCESS FOR REMOTE AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN CAMEROON’S NORTH WEST REGION

This research investigates the optimization of online learning platforms to ensure equitable access to STEM education for students in remote and underserved communities in the North West Region of Cameroon.While digital education has the potential to bridge existing educational gaps, significant barriers persist, including limited internet access, inadequate technological infrastructure, and various socio-economic challenges that hinder effective learning.Utilizing a mixed-methods approach that includes surveys, interviews, and case studies, the study focuses on a population of 1379 high school students schooling out of Divisional headquarters and 98 educators from 10 functional secondary schools in the North West Region.A sample size of 155 participants was selected through stratified random sampling to ensure diverse representation across different demographics.Findings indicate that over 79.8% of students cite inconsistent internet access as a major barrier, while 67.4% emphasize the necessity for localized content and language support to enhance understanding.Additionally, active community engagement emerges as a critical factor in significantly boosting participation rates.Key recommendations from the study include the development of hybrid learning models that integrate both online and offline resources to cater for varying access levels, improving mobile accessibility, and creating culturally relevant educational content that emerges from local learners.The research also underscores the importance of implementing community training programs aimed at fostering digital literacy and enhancing effective platform usage.