Egerton University is set to offer online lectures after upgrading the current infrastructure to support the move. The institution expects to offer online lessons to more than 50,000 leaners according to the Vice Chancellor Professor Rose Mwonya who said the university’s senate will have a seating to approve an online time table and formulate other regulations.
While speaking in a video conference of Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) Public Dialogue Series on COVID-19 Pandemic Responses and Lessons Learnt, the varsity’s VC Professor Mwonya acknowledged the revolution most institutions were undergoing despite the effects of the pandemic.
According to the VC, the institution had sort services from the Kenya Education Network Trust (KENET) to prepare and train lecturers on how to utilize online training facilities as the institution embark on embracing e-learning platform as well as various online based communication tools such as Zoom as well as the KENET conference facility.
While the institution has reverted to short term virtual activities to educate learners, the VC acknowledged the current trend in the country where some institutions had embarked on exploring various technologies that will help them thrive in a post covid-19 era.
As of last month, about 913 students from Egerton held a virtual graduation ceremony that saw only slightly more than a dozen people at the institution attend. This was as a result of the current social distancing directives issued by the Health ministry.
There are ongoing arrangements to ensure all concerned parties had access to the platform and necessary support given so as no one would be left behind. While those without access to the internet, will continue with their studies once varsities reopen according to Professor Owido.