Victoria University, one of the fastest growing private universities in Uganda is embarking on online teaching after the National Council for Higher Education granted it a permit to formally conduct lessons online.
The development was a confirmed by a letter the NCHE Executive Director Prof. Mary J. N. Okwakol wrote to the university on Monday August 31.
“I am pleased to inform you that after due consideration, the National Council for Higher Education has granted you permission to roll-out emergency ODel for the attached programmes,” Prof. Okwakol’s letter to the VU Vice Chancellor reads.
This follows VU’s request to conduct online classes that was written on May 22.
During the countrywide lockdown to avert the spread of Covid-19, all education institutions were lockdown in March.
Some sectors like public transport, hotels and general trading downtown have been opened up, with guidelines to follow Standard Operating Procedures, but schools, places of worship and bars are yet to get the green light to re-open.
VU pioneered an e-learning platform for their scholars and the NCHE permit means that students will not have to suffer a dead year and their academic journey can continue on schedule, albeit online.
The permit granted to VU is for a period of 12 months or the duration of the Covid-19 crisis schools’ lockdown, whichever comes first.
“You may apply for a renewal of the permission at least two months before the expiry of the 12 months’ period, if necessary,” Okwakol wrote.
