MPA shines spotlight on students’ woes

Seeks response as complaints about online classes pour in from across Sindh

KARACHI: As complaints about the issues being faced by public university students in taking online classes pile up, an opposition MPA moved on Friday a call-attention notice in the Sindh Assembly seeking the provincial government's response on the matter.

Nand Kumar Goklani, of the Grand Democratic Alliance, pointed out that as educational institutes moved online in a bid to continue academic activities amid the pandemic, many students, especially those in rural areas, were struggling to keep up with the virtual classes.

"Internet access and load-shedding are serious issues and many students are not able to connect to the classes," he stated, adding that the varsity administrations were more interested in earning money than resolving their students' concerns.

"Can the minister for universities and board let this house know what steps are being taken to ensure that every student can avail classes online? Is there any plan to waive their fees?" he asked.

Reports have been pouring in from districts across Sindh, highlighting the quandary in which students of public universities have been left.

"Only a certain limited number of students - 100 on a Zoom call - can join the class. Once that limit is reached, the rest of the 40 students in class cannot attend," explained a medical student at the Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women in Shaheed Benazirabad."It's first come, first served. The first 100 students are the lucky ones, the rest have to wait for the next day."

Requesting not to be named, another student at the same varsity bemoaned the lack of schedule for online classes. "It depends on the teacher's mood. They can send a link at any time and ask us to join. Often, after joining the call, we end up waiting an hour or two for the lecturer to come online," she complained.

Additionally, she pointed out, online classes overlook the practice that medical students need in their studies. "This is not the way to provide valuable knowledge to students," she argued.

Many complaints also came from students from remote areas, who had returned to their homes when the lockdown was imposed and educational institutes were closed. Now, they are stuck, unable to connect to online classes due to the lack of adequate internet - or often, any internet at all. "How can we join online classes with slow mobile data connections and poor signals?" lamented Zulfikar Ali, a graduating student at Sindh University.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2020.