COVID-19 and Education

It’s no longer news the Corona virus pandemic has brought a lot of activities to a halt. Ranging from the beautiful world of sports to the entertainment industry stretching even into our everyday lives.

So many strata of life have been seriously affected as people are being forced to carry out their businesses online. Markets have been shut down, schools suspended indefinitely, and so on.

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One area of life I feel is mostly affected by the pandemic is the educational system.
In the bid of complying with the social distancing practices given by various health organizations such as the WHO and even the government, most institutions nationwide (primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions) have been indefinitely suspended, in a bid to prevent the spread of the deadly Corona virus.

This suspension has really affected the lives of various students, as students tend to spend most of their time on their mobiles, either on social media: WhatsApp, Instagram, Tweeter, Facebook, and so on.

In Nigeria, it has been over two months now without any form of academic activities for students which has to a large extent affected the students negatively, especially the ones who finds it really difficult studying at home.

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In a bid to continue academic activities, the Federal Government of the Republic of Nigeria joined other countries in the practice of Electronic learning, where classes and lectures will be held online, using a video conferencing app like zoom. It is also believed that exams for this academic session will equally be held online.

This directive has already been adopted by several institutions across the country, as some institutions like the Rivers State University in Nigeria are set bro begin their online lectures.

This directive however has to raise mixed feelings amongst the indigenes of the country.
While some of the citizens are in full support of the directives, others are seriously against it.

Some of the reasons sighted by those kicking against online learning are listed below:

1. some students may lack the necessary gadgets such as phones and laptop computers
2. some of these video conferencing apps are data-consuming
3. Network coverage may be a problem for students leaving in remote areas
4. the rate of examination malpractice may increase.

Of course, as we all know, not every student can afford such an amount of data for an online examination. One o the vice Chancellors of one of the institution in Nigeria in an interview when asked how he planned on going about the online examination, gave a very shocking answer, saying students of this era make use of very expensive phones, he further added that that wasn’t going to be a major problem for the school management saying that if seventy percent (70%) of students can afford the necessary equipment for the online exam, then the exam could go on.

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If 70% of students capable of sitting for the online exam writes, what happens to the remaining thirty percent of students who couldn’t afford to sit and write?, Didn’t they pay the same amount of school fees at the beginning of the academic session?

Also how on Earth will a video conferencing app be used to run an exam for a department of over one hundred students? Isn’t that hilarious?.

In my personal opinion, I see this online examination as practically impossible.
As a blogger, I’ve been opportune to hear the opinions of several students concerning the online classes and exams. Many tagged the idea as absurd, some impossible, unrealistic, and unreal while a few others were in full support of the idea.

My fellow bloggers, my question to this honorable platform is, “how possible is e-learning I’m Nigeria?” ,Is the idea a good and adaptable one?

Or is it something that isn’t achievable for a country such as Nigeria, should institutions go ahead with the online exams? Or should they consider the few students who will be negatively affected by this idea?

Well, while we wait and watch to see how it all unfolds, still praying and hoping this pandemic will be over soon without causing any more damage, we should try as much as possible to make productive use of the holidays.

You could learn a new skill, learn something new; like how to drive online, just anything productive. Please let’s not forget the internet should be our best friends during this lockdown period.

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Please let’s be guided; stay safe, stay locked in. Avoid crowded places, cough or sneeze into your sleeves at a bent elbow, wash your hands thoroughly In-running water as much as possible.

DON’T FORGET TO USE ALCOHOL BASED HAND SANITIZERS!. All this is just for a while, Corona virus is the enemy!, Together we could fight and win COVID-19.
Ones again stay safe, and goodbye.