ICT experts and university teachers said underfunding of government-owned institutions hindered online learning in Nigeria’s public universities as a veritable response to the COVID-19. They added that most students in public universities could not afford laptop, smartphone, or tablet, while public universities lacked the infrastructure, funding, flexibility and personnel to make a switch to online teaching at short notice. Prof. Olukoju said while e-learning was not impossible in public universities, it was not feasible in the short run because the system had been configured to deliver in-person lectures. “The point is that public universities lack the infrastructure, funding, flexibility and personnel to make a switch to online teaching at short notice. In his contribution, Prof Tella said the recurring problem of underfunding would not make e-learning work in the nation’s public universities.

Source: The Guardian August 03, 2020 04:30 UTC