I don’t know the previous owner of the iPad and I can’t contact them and my iPad has an activation lock on it is there any other way?

Unfortunately your options are limited.

Here are the Apple support pages that outline the Activation Lock - and the only mechanisms by which it can be turned off:

Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

Turn off Activation Lock – Apple Support

As you will discover, unless you are the owner of the AppleID that was last used to activate the device, or unless you can secure the cooperation of the previous owner, you’ll not be able to defeat or bypass the Activation Lock. Without documentary evidence that you are the original owner (such as sales receipt showing the serial number), Apple won’t assist - and nobody here will be able to help you.

The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying … - Apple Community

deandre201 wrote:

I have no way of contacting the previous owner of his iPad and there’s an activation lock on it so I need assistance I don’t know what to do

iPad is useless, no way for you to use it, recycle it.

No.

User Activation Lock cannot be defeated or circumvented without the aide/help of the original owner of the iPad

You have a dead, useless device.

Sorry.

Please recycle this device responsibly.

You will never get this iPad to ever work for you.

Sorry.