Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria, many sectors of the country were rendered paralyzed with the educational sector not being an exception. Restrictions were put on many human activities; places where there could be social gatherings like markets, churches and schools were shut down indefinitely. It was at this point that many students woke up to the reality that they would have a long wait for resumption.
However, the announcement made by the Federal Government that tertiary institutions be re-opened on the 15th of January ,2021 put an end to the forlorn hopes of students who had begun hatching machinations to seek an alternative to schooling as the move by the federal government was greeted with great applause and anticipation from students who have missed school and were hitching to return back to their academic routine.
Different schools without hesitation began declaring their various resumption dates whilst students of the University of Ibadan were still on the sidelines waiting with bated breath for the management to at least release an official statement.
After a series of protracted resumption dates, the University of Ibadan officially concluded the previous session , and finally made it known that her students would be resuming the first semester of the new session virtually. Eyebrows were raised ,tongues wagged, many were skeptical about UI’s preparedness , considering it a rather impulsive and audacious move that may not see the light of the day .
The postulation of some of these dissenting students was starting to seem like it would hold water ,when no activities had begun on the said date of resumption and after almost next to nothing had happened for two weeks. Agitated students began hurling criticisms at the management clamouring for UI to renege on its initial virtual first semester resumption plan.
But like a train that would not be stopped on its course ,the school management remained undaunted , despite the intense pressure and soon ordered all members of staff to begin work immediately ; faculties began releasing results , time tables and whatever guide, necessary to set the ball rolling for a new session.
Then , as the misty clouds gives way to the rise of the morning sun, what seemed an impossiblity began to take shape and eventually became a reality. The big question however is, how much of an effect has these virtual classes had on the learning process of the average UI student. How successful has it been? Has it worked so far?
Adenike , a 200- level student of the English department, Faculty of Arts decried the heavy consumption of data of the apps used for the lectures. Patrick of the College of Medicine revealed that on his part, his lectures have been fine so far except for network glitches which affects attentiveness and audibility of the lecturer, he also stated that there has been high level of compliance from the students but he bewailed the rate at which lecturers bombard students alot without adequate explanation.
Folakemi , a second-year student of the Faculty of Law , averred that, ” the virtual lectures have been quite good inspite of all the glitches and frustration of the week, I think I’m finally getting used to it. Meanwhile ,the leturers are doing their best to see to it that we get the most of their courses,it doesn’t mean I don’t want physical classes back as soon as possible though.” Aanuoluwayimika ,a final year student of the faculty of Agronomy described his own experience of the vitual classes as “smooth” and “steady” but for the tonnes of assignments that makes the whole process stressful.
David, a student of Geography department, Faculty of Science was more critical of the process , in his words ,” Simply put , these online classes aren’t the way forward for us, they were not properly organised.”
From the foregoing, it is suffice to say that the UI virtual class is still at its infancy stage and is not without its difficulties, this by implication means that there is still room for improvement and development. “Uites” are however implored to readily adapt to this reality.
