The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted education in South Africa, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities, particularly for rural learners who already faced limited access to quality education. As schools transitioned to remote learning, rural learners struggled due to inadequate infrastructure, unreliable internet, and a lack of digital devices, widening the gap between urban and rural education. While urban learners benefited from better technological access and support, rural communities lacked the necessary resources to sustain meaningful learning, underscoring the country’s deep digital divide.

South Africa’s education system, already burdened by historical inequalities, was unprepared for this crisis, leaving many rural learners further disadvantaged. Overcrowded classrooms, poor facilities, and a shortage of qualified teachers had long hindered rural education, and the pandemic worsened these challenges by limiting engagement and increasing learning losses. Despite government interventions, many rural learners remained without adequate support, highlighting the urgent need for targeted policies that address digital access, remote learning quality, and socio-economic barriers to build a more inclusive and resilient education system.

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational inequalities in South Africa, focusing on factors that widened the gap to access education in rural communities. The following research questions are addressed:
1. How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect learners’ access to educational resources in schools within rural communities in South Africa?
2. How did the quality of teaching change in schools within South African rural communities during the pandemic?
3. How did learner engagement levels change during the pandemic in rural South African schools?

This qualitative study, using an interpretivism paradigm, systematically reviewed six articles published between 2019 and 2024 to explore educational challenges in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings revealed a significant technological divide between rural and urban schools, with rural learners lacking access to digital resources, while urban learners benefited from established online platforms. Poverty in rural areas further limited learners' ability to engage in online education due to unaffordable devices and data, despite some NGO support. Rural teachers were often unprepared for remote teaching due to limited technical skills and professional development opportunities, and infrastructure challenges such as unreliable internet exacerbated the issue. These factors led to severe learning losses and high dropout rates in rural areas, while urban learners continued learning with more support. The government's response was uneven, benefiting urban schools more, and the study calls for targeted interventions to address digital infrastructure gaps and socio-economic disparities to ensure equitable education in future crises.

Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic, educational disparities, rural communities, remote learning.