NIJ Commends Students For Full Commitment To Online Lectures

Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) has commended its students for their commitment over online teaching for the past three weeks.

The students have been receiving online lectures from the comfort of their home since the federal government ordered the closure of all schools in Nigeria.

The management of the school said the initiative of the online teaching is in accordance with the directive of the Minister of Education, Mr Adamu Adamu who on 2nd April 2020 held a teleconference with 237 Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts on how to engage their students academically through virtual learning. In the conversation which lasted four and a half hours, the Minister urged all the people concerned to convince the students to embrace this new development within this period of coronavirus pandemic.

Read Also: Lagos State Gives Kudos To Naija FM; Students On Radio Lesson Delivery System

The information reaching us from the Head of Department (HOD) General Studies of the school, Mr Boye Ola, was that the online classes started on the 30th of March 2020.

“Your total commitment over the on-line lectures has shown that you have not come to NIJ for schooling sake but you have come to study journalism for the passion you have for the profession,” he said.

Lecturers told our reporter what they felt about the new development and the students explained their experience so far.

One of the lecturers of the school, Mr Akin-Ojo, said no complaint should come from any students against the online idea, especially the outgoing students, as he felt that the school academic calendar could not be extended because of any students.

“All I want you to know is that it is the school decision to have this online lectures and I have been reliably informed that you are on your own if you do not attend the online lectures as any topic discussed on the platform WILL NOT be repeated in the class,” he said.

The governor of National Diploma (NDII), Idera Eluwande, advised other students in ND2 who have no phone to get one. She said students need to comply with the school management’s directive on the online lectures, noting that it would be of great assistance to minimise the students’ idleness.

Another student of the school, Musa Babatunde, said the online idea would have been highly welcomed by the students if the school management had addressed the students before the introduction of the new development.
“I have read the NIJ’s Student Handbook from page 1 to page 33, there’s no section that provides support for an online class. It was not even mentioned at all,” he said,
I’m sure no one expected Coronavirus or the lockdown that followed it but there should be a chapter that treats the state of emergencies like this and the likely measures our dignified management might put in place to ensure we get the quality service we paid for.”