Telepresence-enabled Rural Education in Ethiopian Villages: Attendance and Satisfaction Survey

Telepresence technology allows for remote interaction, enabling educators to connect with students in distant locations where traditional schooling is challenging due to geographical isolation or resource constraints. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including both quantitative surveys for attendance tracking and qualitative interviews for deeper insights into students' experiences and perceptions. In a sample of 120 students across four villages, telepresence sessions showed an average increase in attendance rate by 25%, with satisfaction levels reported at 78% among surveyed participants. The preliminary findings suggest that telepresence can be a viable and effective tool for enhancing educational access and participation in remote rural settings. Further research should explore the long-term effects of telepresence on educational outcomes, including potential improvements in curriculum delivery methods. Telepresence, Rural Education, Satisfaction Survey, Ethiopian Villages Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.