The Covid-19 pandemic has forced educational institutions to review their mode of teaching and learning. All educational institutions in Mauritius, have shifted to online learning and teaching since 2020 and this mode is still pertaining. However, with this situation, many benefits have been observed, together with the challenges and one of them is the low participation level of learners during online classes. The study has been undertaken in two public institutions to determine the reasons why learners do not participate during online classes and on the other side, the challenges faced by tutors to conduct the online classes. At times, harnessing the power of silence is not that easy in virtual classes as tutors are not physically in the same room with all groups. To achieve the set objectives, a quantitative survey method in the form of a questionnaire was administered digitally to learners from two higher education institutions and their respective tutors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed that the non-participation of learners and the problems they face during online sessions have three common underlying factors, namely anxiety, lack of technological skills and lack of engagement with tutors. This study also provides recommendations for better management of online sessions, interactions with more engaged online activities and prepare learners’ well-being in any kind of educational crisis.