Role of Mobile Phones in Maintaining Continuity of Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Government and Private School Students

The COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruption in the normal functioning of schools and created a situation in which students had to continue their education from home. In this context, mobile phones emerged as one of the most accessible digital tools for sustaining learning. The present study examined the role of mobile phones in maintaining continuity of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and compared government and private school students in relation to this role. The study was conducted by using the descriptive survey method. A sample of 100 secondary school students from Gwalior district, Madhya Pradesh, was selected, including 50 students from government schools and 50 students from private schools. Data were collected through a Researcher-Made Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire. Mean, standard deviation, and independent samples t-test were used for analysis of data. The findings revealed that private school students obtained significantly higher mean scores than government school students with regard to the role of mobile phones in maintaining continuity of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The calculated t-value was found significant at the 0.05 level. The study concludes that mobile phones played a meaningful role in sustaining learning continuity during school closure, but this role was experienced more strongly by private school students than by government school students. The findings highlight the importance of digital access, school support, and inclusive educational planning.