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This paper discusses the challenges faced by rural learners in South Africa in the context of the world pandemic commonly known as COVID-19. Rural learners face unprecedented challenges in adjusting to a new mode of life and learning, the latter being characterised by the predominant use of online, learning management systems and low-tech applications. The paper is informed by critical emancipatory research, I used participatory action research. A total of 10 learners and five teachers participated via Whatsapp. The paper answers two questions: what are the learning challenges faced by rural learners in South Africa, and how can online learning be enhanced in the context of COVID-19? The findings suggest that, while the South African government is promoting online learning as the only alternative in the context of COVID-19, this mode excludes many rural learners from teaching and learning, due to a lack of resources to connect to the internet, the learning management system, and low-tech software. The paper argues that rural learners are critical stakeholders in education and in the fight against COVID-19, and they cannot be left behind in efforts to fight the pandemic., Este artículo discute los desafíos delos estudiantes rurales en Sudáfrica en el contexto de la pandemia mundial del COVID-19. Estos estudiantes se enfrentan a desafíos sin precedentes para adaptarse a un nuevo modo de vida y aprendizaje, caracterizado por el uso predominante de sistemas de gestión de aprendizaje en línea y aplicaciones tecnológicas. El artículo presenta una investigación crítica de emancipación, que defiende la justicia social, el empoderamiento y la inclusión social de todos los alumnos en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje, con el objetivo de construir un futuro mejor para todos los alumnos. El diseño parte de una investigación de acción participativa. Un total de 10 alumnos y 5 profesores participaron a través de WhatsApp. El documento responde a dos preguntas: ¿cuáles son los desafíos de aprendizaje que enfrentan los estudiantes rurales en Sudáfrica y cómo se puede mejorar el aprendizaje en línea en el contexto de COVID-19? Los resultados sugieren que, si bien el gobierno de Sudáfrica está promoviendo el aprendizaje en línea como la única alternativa en el contexto de COVID-19, este modo excluye a muchos estudiantes rurales de la enseñanza y el aprendizaje, debido a la falta de recursos para conectarse a Internet, sistema de gestión de aprendizaje y software de baja tecnología. Con base en los hallazgos de este estudio, el documento argumenta que los estudiantes rurales son actores críticos en la educación y en la lucha contra COVID-19, y no pueden quedarse atrás en los esfuerzos para combatir la pandemia. Valores como la justicia social y los derechos de los estudiantes rurales no deben ser renunciados en la lucha contra COVID-19.

English: The aim of the study was to design a socio-religious hybridity strategy that attempts to respond to the problems of Religious Studies in Zimbabwean secondary schools. The strategy emerged against the background of several challenges with the current multifaith approach to Religious Studies, which excludes other local religions from the curriculum. The curriculum is largely Christocentric, implying that the Christian religion is extensively covered. The aims of the syllabus seem to indicate that there is a need to teach various religions, but the content of the syllabus does not give space to other religions. This creates a monothelic curriculum that ignores the fact that some of the children have a religious orientation that may not necessarily be Christian. Secondly, the Religious Studies curriculum is not socially responsive to arm learners with knowledge on how to avert religious abuse, which is becoming rampant in Zimbabwean society. Religious Studies is failing to respond to religious abuse. The other challenge is that the indigenous knowledge system is not adequately covered, although it is important for the survival of the local people. The syllabus is silent on the indigenous knowledge system. However, the national examination system gives learners questions relating to indigenous knowledge, with a low mark allocation compared to the mark for Biblical question. This gives learners and teachers the perception that indigenous knowledge is unimportant for their survival. The other significant challenge is that the majority of the Religious Studies teachers in Matabeleland North are not trained to teach the subject, neither are they adequately prepared to teach other religions apart from the Christian faith. In response to these and other problems, this research study proposes a socioreligious hybridity strategy that will ensure a relevant curriculum that addresses the religious needs of all learners through a hybridity approach. The strategy seeks to e, Afrikaans: Die doel van die studie was om ‘n sosio-religieuse hibridiese strategie te ontwerp wat reageer op die problem van Godsdiensstudies in Zimbabwiese sekondêre skole. Die strategie het teen die agtergrond van verskeie uitdagings binne die huidige veelsydige geloofs benaderings van Godsdiensstudies ten vore gekom. Die benaderings sluit ander gelowe uit van die kurrikulum. Die kurrikulum is hoofsaaklik Christosentries wat impliseër dat dit hoofsaaklik net die Christengeloof dek. Die doel van die leerplan dui daarop aan dat daar ‘n nodigheid bestaan vir die leer van verskeie Godsdienste maar die inhoud van die leerplan laat nie ruimte daaraan toe nie. Dit veroorsaak ‘n monolitiese kurrikulum wat die feit ignorer dat van die kinders se godsdienste oriëntasie nie noodsaaklik Christenskap is nie. Tweedens, is die Godsdiensstudie kurrikulum nie sosiaal vatbaar om leerders met die kennis toe te rus om godsdienstige mishandeling af te weer nie wat hoogty vier in die Zimbabwiese samelewing. Die ander uitdaging is dat die inheemse kennisbasis nie voldoende aangespreek word nie alhoewel dit ‘n belangrike rol speel in die oorlewing van die plaaslike boorlinge. Die leerplan spreuk glad nie die inheemse kennisbasis aan nie. Alhoewel die nasionale eksamen sisteem hom daartoe leen om leerders vrae oor die inheemse kennisbasis te vra word ‘n lae punt toegeken aan die antwoorde in vergelyking met Bybelse vrae. Dit veroorsaak ‘n persepsie onder die onderwysers en leerders dat inheemse kennis van geen belang vir oorlewing is nie. Die ander betekenisvolle uitdaging is dat die meerderheid van die Godsdiensstudie onderwysers in Matabeleland-Noord nie opgelei is om die vak aan te bied nie en dus ook nie bereid is om ander godsdienste as die Christendom aan te bied nie. In antwoord op hierdie en ander probIeme, stel hierdie studie voor dat ‘n sosioreligieuse hibridiese strategie sal toesien dat ‘n relevante kurrikulum ontwerp sal word wat die godsdienstige tekortkominge van alle leerd