MKU shifts to e-learning to contain coronavirus spread

Students at Mount Kenya University’s Nakuru campus. The university has closed all its campus. [File, Standard]

Mount Kenya University has suspended all face-to-face lectures in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.

It has instead opened its online lesson portals to all day, evening and weekend students.

Acting university vice-chancellor Prof Peter Wanderi made the announcements on Monday, a day after Kenya confirmed two more cases of the virus to take the tally to three.

Students are expected to clear from the university premises by tomorrow until further notice.

“Open, Distance and Electronic Learning (ODEL) and Distance, Institution-Based and Electronic Learning (DIBEL) students will continue with their learning uninterrupted,” Prof Wanderi said in a statement.

The online lessons will be supplemented by televised lecturers in collaboration with a local TV station, Wanderi added.

“Through the Memorandum of Understanding between Mount Kenya University and Telkom Kenya, students will further be supported to access online learning resources.”.

The university, however, said students undertaking doctorate and Masters research papers will continue uninterrupted with the support of their supervisors.

Prof Wanderi urged students and other university stakeholders to adhere to the World Health Organisation, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education guidelines on preventive and containment measures of the coronavirus.

Earlier, the University of Nairobi also suspended learning in its institutions in compliance of the drastic steps, including closing schools, announced yesterday by President Uhuru Kenyatta to tame the virus.

While the directive was immediate for day scholars, boarding schools and universities were to wait for a circular, which has since been issued today.

According to the circular, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha directed tertiary institutions are expected to suspend learning by Friday, 20, March 2020.

UoN Vice-Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama said the institution will comply latest on the deadline.

“The University has fully complied with the Presidential directive to suspend learning at all our campuses with immediate effect. The Senate is scheduled to consider closure modalities in order to comply with this directive by Friday, March 20, 2020, at the latest,” Prof Kiama said.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology has also suspended all activity at the university. Students living its campuses have until March 19 to evacuate.

Globally, coronavirus has infected more than 154,000 people with some 5,300 deaths. The virus, according to WHO, is believed to have originated from Wuhan, China late last year.