UNESWA LECTURERS : ONLINE LEARNING WON’T WORK FOR US

MBABANE – While UNESWA students have raised concerns over online teaching and learning, lecturers and academis seem not to be warming up to the idea.

UNESWA is an acronym for University of Eswatini.
The lecturers’ apprehension is that the online teaching method, which was adopted by the university Senate did not work as some of them were not capacitated on information, communication and technology (ICT). They mentioned that they required adequate IT support in the faculties.

In a statement released by the Association of Lecturers and Academic Personnel (ALAAP), it was mentioned that a meeting was held by the association executive and faculty representatives on May 26, 2020. The lecturers acknowledged that Senate was the highest decision-making body on
academic issues.

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However, they were of the firm view that their members should have been adequately consulted on this issue as it was predicated on their terms and conditions of service.
“We note the statement made by the registrar on the latest developments regarding the online teaching in light of the Covid-19 pandemic,” they said.

It was further highlighted that should their members have been consulted, they could have made an input on the dynamics of online teaching. The statement alluded to that ALAAP welcomed the use of Moodle as an online learning platform.
However, the lecturers also noted a concern that some of their members did not have the required resources to use Moodle as a learning platform.

Moodle is an online portal where students access study materials, notice and updates on assignments.
A registered scholar simply logs in with the student number and password.
“There is lack of computers, the university has not provided desktops and/or laptops for most of our members,” the statement reads in part.

It was elaborated that there was unstable Wi-Fi coverage within the campuses and lack of data for their members to use when they were outside of campus. The statement stated that these entirely made it impossible for most of the lecturers to access online course, TBL 002, which was uploaded on Moodle.

The teaching, learning and assessment over the next months were not excluded. In addition, it was stated that given the link between Moodle and the university email, there was a need to increase the capacity of the email to store information.

The lecturers noted that most staff members had no access to e-library outside the university server yet it was an important teaching and learning resource. “In light of the prevailing pandemic, we deem it prudent that all staff members be provided such access for efficient teaching and learning,” it was mentioned.
Further, the lecturers highlighted that students were not ready for online learning.
They stated that it was their concern that students who were recipients of the online content hardly used the platform. It was further mentioned that necessary measures should be taken to ensure maximum students’ participation in the online learning to avoid it being a one-way communication.

In light of the concerns, the association of lecturers held that members should not be liable for the inability to access the current online training offered on Moodle (TBL 002). It was also stated that they should not be blamed in the event of failure to facilitate learning due to poor connectivity. Further, they highlighted that they should not be held responsible for the failure of students to engage in any learning activities on Moodle. It was noted that the association should not be held liable for any activities students performed outside of Moodle.

When reached for comment, UNESWA Registrar Dr Salebona Simelane said the lecturers had done the right thing by addressing their concerns.
“Management will respond to them,” Simelane said. 

Meanwhile, UNESWA students also raised concerns on the implementation of online learning by the institution. According to a press statement issued by Bongani Sifundza, Secretary General of the UNESWA Kwaluseni Campus SRC, online learning had truly been adopted in almost the entire world as a way to study during the time of the pandemic in universities, but it was highlighted that this did not make Eswatini ready to implement it haphazardly without smoothening the conditions for the underprivileged liSwati child.

Emergency

“Online teaching has been happening at UNESWA for some time since the period of state of emergency was announced and it was uncovered that some students of the very same institutions were already signing continuous assessment scores,” reads in part the report.

It was further stated that this meant that the boat of education was sinking for some and floating for others. According to the students, this was unfair and was in bad taste.

The students were encouraged to take their chances and try online learning while they continued to voice out their challenges.

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