Victoria University wins plaudits for e-learning approach

Speaking at a media briefing at the University, Mulira said he was impressed with the work of the institution and praised it for initiatives such as giving each new student a laptop that have enabled them to study away from the university during this lockdown caused by coronavirus.

"COVID-19 started as a public health problem in China several thousands of miles away. We did not know the kind of impact it was going to have on several sectors. We have seen what it has done to so many economies around the world," Mulira said.

"One of the areas which has been greatly affected is education. Students had to be asked to go home because they could not stay in an environment with great risks for COVID 19 infection."

The former ICT minister, however, explained that COVID 19 came with some positive effects on the education sector saying that online learning had been tried long ago and failed but COVID-19 apandemic has rebooted the interest in need of online education.

"At Victoria University students who register get laptops issued to him or her and they started this before COVID. This has been ongoing and provides their students with the ability to study away from the university," Mulira said.

Dr. Krishna Sharma, the University Vice chancellor also noted that it is the responsibility of universities and education institutions to foresee and come up with innovative ways to ensure they are not interrupted by any pandemic.

Sharma says the university is ready to commence online teaching adding that all the issues raised in the guidelines by NCHE have already been in place at Victoria University and that the online classes will be conducted at a free cost while those who will not be able will be provided with printed contents for self study.

Last week, the education minister and First Lady Janet Museveni said that the government has already put in place guidelines for the implementation of e-learning.

"What we are doing as a Sector is to put forward a comprehensive sector-wide agenda to guide the delivery of formal Education through e-learning mechanisms because it has implications on quality of education for the country and its citizens. Once the ICT and E-Learning Framework is complete, we shall communicate it to our stakeholders and the public at large because you all deserve to know," Mrs. Museveni said.

She also refuted media reports that the government had banned schools from delivering lessons via electronic media and internet-enabled technology devices.