Opeyemi Adelere
Nigeria’s Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, has directed all tertiary institutions in the country to work out modalities of shifting their classrooms online as a means of proffering solutions to the challenges posed to the nation’s school calendar due to closure over by COVID-19.
Adamu Adamu, in a meeting with 237 Vice Chancellors, rectors and provosts via teleconferencing, harped on the need for the tertiary institutions to reopen online as soon as possible since no one was certain of the time the Corona Virus pandemic would end.
Those physically present with the minister were the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed; the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, Dr. Masa’udu Adamu Kazaure; the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi; and the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, among others.
The minister said the Federal Government could not afford to shut schools for a long time, noting that all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education should activate virtual learning environment to enable students to continue their studies through digital devices. He explained that, although the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was on strike, government would do its best to resolve the labour crisis.
“We cannot be held down by COVID-19, we have to deploy all e-platforms to keep our universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other schools open. COVID-19 has changed everybody. I am pleading with you to device alternative ways to make sure the education of our children will not stop. We have to create virtual learning environment.
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“This is the second meeting I am having with you. All I want is that we should fully engage our students. We are already speaking with the World Bank and UNICEF on how to create platforms for virtual learning classrooms.
“We need to take advantage of technology like the case in other parts of the world. We cannot shut down all schools when we have other means to teach our students.
“As for the strike action, we will try to resolve issues with ASUU to have synergy.
“But the private universities that are not on strike can start with virtual learning while we are finding solutions to issues between the Federal Government and ASUU. This is a period we have to make use of the platforms available; we cannot keep students at home.”
He also asked the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to work out modalities on how primary school pupils and secondary students could learn by using radio and television stations.
“We will work out how we can involve state governments to use radio and television stations.’’
Meanwhile, most Vice Chancellors of private universities embraced the idea and expressed readiness to reopen, claiming that they have top grade virtual learning system.
A Vice Chancellor of a private university briefed the Hon. Minister on why it is necessary to amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act to enable private universities to benefit from intervention funds.
“Other than complying with the directive of the Federal Government, we did not see any reason for closing private universities because we have efficient virtual learning environment.”
Also, a Vice Chancellor from a public University, Prof. Fatima Bature, said the Federal University, Dutse, is very strong in virtual learning and ready to embrace the new method of learning.
However, when varsities would be reopened online is yet to be declared.
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