Hispanic-serving institutions are doing their best to help Latinos and Hispanics enrolled in their schools get a better future after the pandemic, according to a recently published article.

Impact of the Global Pandemic Towards the Education System

The global health pandemic has brought many changes to the world. It does not only change how businesses operate today, but it also changes how schools work and mold their students to become globally competitive. 

With the changes that the pandemic has brought to the education system, schools are now scrambling to help students learn amid COVID-19. Institutions are offering online classes, modular classes, and other alternatives.

However, those who belong in the middle-class families and self-supporting students like Latinos and Hispanics will be facing financial challenges to meet the demand for education today. They have to buy a new laptop and need to have a stable internet connection to participate in the online classes as physical class discussion still seems impossible at this time.

Helping Hispanic Students Cope With the Demand of Education

Hispanic-Serving Institutions are very much aware of how important getting a degree is most especially for Latino students. It can be remembered that after the Great Recession, over 99 percent of jobs went to those who have degrees and certificates. 

This means that after this global pandemic, it is expected as well that most of the jobs available will be given those who have finished their degree. This is to help the country's economy to start anew.

William Serrata, President of El Paso Community College, is working so hard to encourage their Latino students to enroll and finish their degrees, or else they will have no certificates, which will be their key in employment. 

He said that Higher Education would even become more critical for Latinos because more than 30 million have filed unemployment due to the closures of businesses. He also emphasized this to Excelencia Education, which measures the number of enrolled Latino students, their retention rate, and most especially the percentage of those who finished and get their degree.

In the upcoming weeks, colleges and universities are going to prepare for another academic year. In Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Latinos are composed of at least or more than a quarter. This means that they are working hard to make sure of a better life for Latinos after the pandemic.

Erika Beck, president of California State University Channel Islands, said: "We understand the disproportionate impact that this crisis has on our most vulnerable students. I think it also highlights the role that Hispanic-Serving Institutions will play as a bridge to a post-pandemic future, as well as a post-pandemic economy and society."

According to research by Excelencia, the number of Latino students enrolled in higher education has increased and even reached a record high in 2017. Still, only a few of them finished or completed their degree. The study shows that only 22 percent of Latino adults in the United States have an associate degree or higher.

A few of the factors seen why the percentage is so low are the costs of higher education, limited knowledge about college, and how they balance their time for work, academics, and family. These are the barriers that prevent Latino students from finishing their degrees on time.

This situation is even becoming worse today as the global pandemic hits most of the Latino families. Many of them were furloughed and laid off from their jobs and cannot apply for unemployment due to their immigration status. This is economic stress for Latino families.

New Norm of Education

Mark Rosenberg, President of Florida International University, is thinking about how to help Latino students in meeting the new demand for education. She said that the key to meet the demands of Latino students is the transition from "student-centric institution" to a "learner-centric institution."  

He said: "A lot of our students are adult learners. They have family responsibilities, and they may not have the opportunity to get your traditional four-year, six-year degree. They need it now because they're working full or part-time. They need learning or a competency now, and we're very comfortable in moving into that space."

He also anticipates that more colleges and universities will be ramping up in the coming weeks in their individualized learning program, which is designed to help students balance their academic and personal life. 

In this case, it is expected that remote education will become the new norm in education. At the same time, the digital divide will become a problem not only for students but also for school administrators and teachers. 

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