The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has voiced out its reservation on the online learning induced by schools’ closure due to the coronavirus pandemic by saying it cannot work in Nigerian universities.
Besides the issue of capacity requirement, the union’s observation was based on the fact that “the quality in terms of content, in terms of presentation will be watered down.”
According to the union, the requirements of online teaching include special skills, training, re-orientation and adaptation of lecturers that will teach students and all these take time.
During an interview with THE PUNCH, ASUU President, Professor Abiodun Ogunyemi said: “I am even focusing on tertiary institutions now because I don’t want to go to the lower level. So if you talk of tertiary institutions, the first thing is when they don’t have the skills they will water down the quality in terms of content generation, what should go into content, it is different from loading students with materials.
“What you are going to give to the students they should be able to digest and that also requires skills in preparation. Where they cannot digest, maybe at worst, it may just be garbage in garbage out because when you digest, you will be able to ingest and when you ingest, it becomes part and parcel of you and that is when you can apply.
“Many of us that teach in face-to-face arrangement we know the difficulties we face in explaining concepts, in illustrating presentations, so that dimension will be there. The quality in terms of content, in terms of presentation will be watered down.
“It (virtual learning) will not work. Let’s break it down; when you talk of virtual learning practically online teaching and learning, I think the first question we need to ask ourselves is: do we have the infrastructure for that? When you talk of infrastructures in the institutions concerned, do they have facilities and if you want to take it to individuals, can they afford it?”
