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Government clears Universities to launch online classes

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 lockout, universities and other higher learning institutions were permitted to introduce e-learning programs having developed standard teaching method guidelines to ensure continued learning.

Recently, the Ministry of Education and Sports has instructed universities to use remote collaboration methods to halt the process and await guidance to ensure the approach ‘s effectiveness.

The Minister for Education Janet Kataaha Museveni has now issued them a green light to introduce the programmes.

She made the statement on Friday night in a brief televised address on the Covid-19 pandemic preparedness and response of the Ministry.

She hastened to add that the said learning mode can only be enforced if no student is excluded.

“Allow me to remember that one of the important criteria of these e-learning guidelines is that when a learning institution begins adopting the e-learning strategy, no continuing learner should be left behind or disqualified from learning,” she said.

The executive director of the National Council for Higher Education should make use of recommendations to the public, according to the minister.

The growth comes at a time when, in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, many universities are taking e-learning options to fill the void brought on by closing educational institutions.

It ‘amid the gap in high technology, the difficulties of internet connectivity and insufficient access to ICT equipment.

Whereas, the minister restated that the ministry is working on a detailed sector-wide agenda to direct the delivery of formal education through e-learning platforms, as it has implications for the country and its people on the standard of education.

Nonetheless, she states that the ministry must ensure continuity of learning for both primary and secondary school students through the aforementioned homeschooling program which will see the government broadcast a radio set for each family, two television sets for each village, and materials for self-study.

“We are in advanced stages of designing research materials at home-schooling for all levels of primary and secondary education. We’ll provide all subjects and all learners with written learning materials. In addition, all lessons in the form of printed materials will also be transmitted through the radio and television stations, “said Mrs Museveni.

In preparation for school reopening, the minister stated that they have already obtained sector-specific standard operating procedures from their Health counterparts which will assess the readiness of the sector to reopen learning institutions.