Victoria University granted permission to conduct e-learning

The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has granted permission to Victoria University to conduct online classes.

In a letter dated 31 August, 2020, the NCHE Executive Director Prof Mary J. N Okwakol told Victoria University Vice Chancellor that the council has granted them permission to roll out emergency ODel for the attached programmes.

“I wish to remind you that under section 3 (c) of the guidelines for the adoption of an emergency ODel. System, the permission is valid for 12 months or the duration of the Covid-19 crisis as will be determined by the relevant authorities. However, you may apply for a renewal of the permission at least two months before the expiry of the 12 months period, if necessary, ” Prof Okwakol said.

In July, the Ministry of Education and Sports okayed institutions of learning conducting online classes to continue teaching amid lockdown that saw school operations suspended across the country in a bid to control the spread of covid-19 pandemic.

Prior, there was a misconception in the media that the  Ministry had prohibited e-learning.

However, in her televised national address, the Minister of Education Janet Museveni said institutions can implement e-learning on condition that no student will be excluded.

“This is absolutely not true; we cannot be the ones banning what we are promoting. A number of institutions including Uganda Christian University,  Makerere University and several International Schools in Basic and Secondary levels have been utilizing e- learning; even before the outbreak of COVID-19,” said Ms Janet who is also the First Lady of Uganda.

“What we are doing as a Sector is to put forward a comprehensive sector-wide agenda to guide 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.”

She, however, noted that since schools were not reopening soon, the ministry was ensuring continuity of learning for all students in primary and secondary school through the already said homeschooling programme which will see the government giving out a radio set for every household, two television sets for every village and self-study materials.

“What we are learning from our local trends of Covid-19 as well as experiences from countries that had closed but later reopened institutions of learning is that we need to exercise patience and self-restraint on the matter of normal resumption of institutions learning,” she said.