w CATACLYSMIC DISRUPTION TO HIGHER EDUCATION – University Of Zululand

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CATACLYSMIC DISRUPTION TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Opinion by the University Vice-Chancellor: Professor X.A Mtose

WITHIN a short period of time of its discovery, Covid-19 has unleashed mayhem, anxiety, and immense human suffering.

The governments around the world have responded in different ways to the advent of the pandemic.

Mostly, countries have instituted some form of lockdown to reduce the rapid spread of the virus.

The virus is not going away any time soon. The story of TB is a case in point. We have been living with this bacterium since the first wave of TB deaths in the 1800s.

The higher education sector has not escaped the cataclysmic disruption that has been wrought by the virus.

Universities have been forced to close, and teaching and learning has now moved online.

This unprecedented reality has forced educational institutions to develop and implement multi modal remote learning systems comprising the use of digital, analogue and physical delivery of learning materials.

At the same time, the pandemic has also exposed the hitherto unresolved historic socio-economic inequalities in the country.

In this context, it is appropriate to caution that the current crisis should not be a time for grandstanding. Rather, it should be a time to acknowledge the existence of both historical privileges and the systemic disadvantage that continue to blight the higher education sector. It is thus important that the national response to the pandemic should not deepen these inequalities.

The Higher Education Minister Dr Blade Nzimande has aptly underscored this challenge thus, that “we are constrained by the very same challenges we seek to address, poverty, inequality and unemployment.

The very problems we seek to solve are the obstacles standing in our way”.

Resources mobilised for online learning to be available to all students

As universities begin to settle into online learning, they are called on to resolve structural inequalities in the form of ensuring “access of students to laptops, data and connectivity to conducive spaces to study”. Fortunately, the government has committed itself to mobilise resources to ensure these resources are available to all students.

As the post school sector transitions to remote teaching and learning, there are however some hurdles to negotiate. For instance, students will find themselves vulnerable to stress as a result of being disconnected from other students, and thus lacking the sense of camaraderie that comes from being on campus. Students will need some training and be given emotional support to ensure a safe landing. Learning remotely should not only be about the provision of gadgets, but must be understood to be a means to providing a quality learning experience for students. It is also about reinventing higher education. It is worth noting that universities have not been bystanders amid the unfolding developments. For instance, the University of Zululand established a Covid-19 combat team that will serve as a think tank to monitor the effects of, and to combat the spread of the corona virus.

15 thoughts on “CATACLYSMIC DISRUPTION TO HIGHER EDUCATION”

  1. almethalyapooles

    تعتبر تسربات المياه مشكلة شائعة ومزعجة تواجه العديد من المنازل والمباني. تحدث تسربات المياه عندما يتسرب الماء من مصادره المعتادة ويتسرب إلى مناطق غير مرغوب فيها في المنزل. يمكن أن تنشأ التسربات من مصادر مختلفة مثل الأنابيب المكسورة أو التالفة، والختمات الضعيفة، والتهريب من صمامات الحنفيات وأجهزة الصرف.تسربات المياه يمكن أن تتسبب في تلف الهياكل والمباني والأثاث، وتسبب مشاكل صحية مثل نمو العفن والرطوبة الزائدة. قد يؤدي التسرب المستمر إلى تدهور جودة الهواء في المنزل وظهور روائح كريهة. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، قد يؤدي التسرب المستمر إلى زيادة في فواتير المياه والطاقة.للتعامل مع تسربات المياه، يجب تحديد مصدر التسرب وإصلاحه بشكل فوري. يمكن استدعاء فنيين متخصصين لتقييم وإصلاح التسربات بشكل دقيق وفعال. قد تتطلب بعض التسربات إجراءات إصلاح كبيرة مثل استبدال الأنابيب أو إعادة ختم الأسطح المتضررة.بشكل عام، من المهم الكشف عن تسربات المياه في وقت مبكر واتخاذ التدابير اللازمة للحد من التلف والمشاكل المحتملة. الصيانة الدورية والاهتمام بنظام الأنابيب والتشكيلات المائية في المنزل يمكن أن تساعد في منع حدوث تسربات المياه والحفاظ على سلامة المبنى وراحة السكان.

    الكشف عن تسريب المياه

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  7. مركز اشعة منزلية الاسكندرية

    مركز كول سكان للأشعة المتنقلة في الإسكندرية يُعد واحدًا من الحلول الطبية المبتكرة لتوفير خدمات التصوير الشعاعي في مواقع مختلفة. يقدم المركز خدماته باستخدام تقنيات حديثة مثل الأشعة السينية، والموجات فوق الصوتية، والتصوير بالرنين المغناطيسي، مما يسهل على المرضى الحصول على الفحوصات الطبية الدقيقة دون الحاجة إلى الانتقال إلى المستشفيات. يتميز كول سكان بفريق من الأطباء والفنيين المؤهلين الذين يضمنون تقديم خدمات عالية الجودة، مما يعزز من سرعة التشخيص والعلاج. يُعتبر هذا المركز خطوة مهمة نحو تحسين الرعاية الصحية والوصول إلى خدمات الأشعة في كافة أنحاء الإسكندرية.

  8. Alexander Duen

    The disruption caused by Covid-19 has indeed highlighted significant inequalities in higher education, making it crucial for institutions to adapt and support all students effectively. As we transition to online learning, it’s essential to prioritize not just access to technology but also the emotional well-being of students. It reminds me of my experiences with geoguessr free, where navigating new challenges can be both engaging and enlightening.

  9. This pandemic has really thrown a curveball at higher education! The shift to online learning is like going from a bustling campus party to a virtual study session. It’s been a wild ride. I wonder how long it’ll take for universities to perfect these multi-modal systems. Have any of you had a particularly challenging online class experience during this?

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