KENYA: Catholic Universities of Eastern Africa Resumes Virtual Learning after Government Imposes Lockdown
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The leadership of Catholic Universities in Kenya have opted for resumption of online classes to complete the semester which began in January after President Uhuru Kenyatta suspended physical learning and imposed lockdown in some parts of the country among other stringent measures to help curb the third wave of Covid-19 in the country.
“Following President Kenyatta’s directive, the University has no option but to suspend face to face learning effective immediately…to complete the semester,” Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) Very Rev. Prof. Stephen Mbugua said in a statement issued Saturday, March 26, hours after the President addressed the nation.
He noted in the statement addressed to CUEA staff and students that through those responsible, the University shall ensure that the semester’s examination time table is availed to everyone and “all examinations are going to be administered online.”
To ensure that students’ academic progression is not disrupted, Fr. Mbugua disclosed, “The 2021 May-August semester will commence as scheduled online.”
He asked all for continued prayers for God’s deliverance from the “unrelenting pandemic.”
Meanwhile in Tangaza University College (TUC) a constituent of CUEA the Vice Chancellor Designate Prof. David Wang’ombe together with the University Senate also welcomed the Head of State’s directives and suspended physical classes for the remaining part of the semester and replaced with online learning which commenced on Monday, March 29.
“Staff are instructed to work from home unless instructed otherwise by their respective Heads of Department,” Prof. Wang’ombe noted in the statement dated Saturday, March 27, adding that “All administrative and academic offices will remain closed; however, discretion will be exercised for key services that will be needed.”
According to TUC leadership, the respective Deans and the Directors will communicate on the modalities approved by the senate of how the end of semester examinations will be conducted.
Meanwhile the May 2021 trimester classes will be virtual unless advised otherwise and “should the situation normalize, a decision will be made on whether to revert to the physical classes,” the statement reads in part.
