UCU secures free internet services for its e-learning platform

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda Christian University has secured an offer for free internet services from MTN-Uganda to support its e-learning program.

The University plans to officially resume it’s academic semester online this month after close to six months of inactivity as a result of a lockdown that started in March at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

UCU Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academics Rev Dr John Kitayimbwa says that as they ponder the way forward, a new arrangement was sought through which all students will be required to purchase MTN simcards that will give them access to internet hotspots within the university campus.

However, the internet will be restricted to the university’s Uniform Resource Locators-URL where academic content will be uploaded. According to Kitayimbwa, the University has also embarked on a process of uploading the e-books required for learning in different courses to the university’s URLs for easy access by students.

URN has established that UCU had embarked on setting up an e-learning department four years back to enable distance learning. The department also controls all the university information systems. According to the University records, 93 percent of UCU students have access to computers (laptops), 5 percent to desktop computers and 92 percent have access to smartphones.

Rose Dorothy Mukasa, the university e-learning manager says they have designed a learning management system benefiting all kinds of students by bringing them together in a live engagement. She adds that they have also established a management information system where students can access details about lectures, exams, timetables and a channel for feedback.

The University Vice-Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi says that the university has tested the learning program and found it strong enough to provide augmented reality and maintain students’ attention during class hours. Mushengyezi notes that the e-learning system is cost-friendly since some of the functional fees on various items students have been paying while attending campus will be scrapped off.

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URN