Following the launch of the newly proposed E-learning system at Kyambogo University, guild presidential aspirants John Mbaziira of People Power and Trust Mugisha of FDC Kyambogo chapter have come forth during an interview with our reporter to call out the arrangement with claims of it being unfair and unpractical in regards to it’s sole objective towards the university stake holders.
Speaking to our reporter, Mbaziira of People power revealed that e-learning had been a concept being revised even before the coronavirus pandemic and was not a new idea. He further disclosed that the reason the University management failed to adhere to this concept was because of the lacking infrastructure to operate such a process provided the lecturer student ratio is still alarmingly high.
”When we talk about effective teaching and learning processes, it’s not only lecturer centered. We expect an engagement between the lecturer and the student. Indeed how will one lecturer handle over 180 students and expect majority not to get muted due to the over crowding. Some of the special needs students require guides to be with them so I don’t know how this is going to be handled. They should also look at the tuition fees structure because it should mean that if you’re bring this, there are services you will not be providing. There are so many factors they haven’t explained because even the national counsel of higher education did not say it’s mandatory for institutions to conform to these standards but only those willing to adopt to it. Most of us are coming from poor families so it will be very hard to venture into these e-learning requirements. When you look at the practicability of it, the objectives of higher education are research, project and consultation. With e-learning, how are you considering projects provided people from say food and nutrition, agriculture and science who rely solely on practicals so are they doing this just so the institution will run or does it have to meet the learning objectives. Also given that we cannot access the libraries, how are we to obtain information for researches and consultations.” quoted John Mbaziira of People Power Kyambogo Chapter during his interview.
Discussing with Mugisha of FDC Kyambogo chapter, our reporter learnt that the e-learning itself wasn’t the problem but rather, it’s implementation and timing provided Uganda is a third world country. He added that the university should look into the feasibility and workability of the system before making “excited and emotional” decisions because they had seen it elsewhere.
“I personally wouldn’t mind e-learning because it is good, it saves time and money for both the institutions and individuals but that shouldn’t mean it’s something we jump onto because of its urgency. We should look into it’s feasibility to be sure that indeed we are not dreaming. We should look back and reflect on how prepared we are because it roots back to the students themselves. Yes we understand the students require continuity as we study but of what benefit will it be to a student who comes from Kamuli where there is no network considering majority of the stakeholders in Public universities are from remote areas and low income families. The question now comes in with implementation, how is it going to be fair to all students so as to have equity because not all students have smart phones. Then there’s the whole point of data and network accessibility. How possible is it that even after failing to provide students with consistent data while at school, that the University will be able to provide to them while scattered all over the country. Some individuals are simply looking at this as a cash cow so as to grab as much as they can. The program has found us illy prepared. The lecturers are not prepared, the students are not sensitized to use it.” quoted Trust Mugisha during his interview.
It is clear from the voices of the future students’ leadership that the university is not ready or prepared adequately for an online electronic learning platform as more and more students come up to object the system. The hive is soon to hear from the University’s top management regarding the pending issues of accessibility and fees on behalf of the university stakeholders.
