Hassan Abdulsalam
The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country has forced the Federal and State Government to order the closure of all schools nationwide.
The school closure seems to present a logical solution to enforcing social distancing within communities, prolonged closures tend to have a disproportionately negative impact on most vulnerable students.
Closure of schools was part of the measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic by the Government.
Press Club MAPOLY(PCM) earlier reported that the management had in a statement signed by the Polytechnic’s, Public Relations Officer, Mr. Yemi Ajibola suspended academic activities to curtail the spread of the virus.
Ajibola said, "This was disclosed at the extended management meeting held on Friday, 20th March 2020 which was premised on the memo from the Ogun State Bureau of Tertiary Institutions in respect of the above directive.
"The closure takes effect from today Friday, 20th March 2020, in line with the official ban of high-density gatherings."
As schools continue to remain shut due to COVID-19, the suspension of academic activities may force the academic calendar to draw backward.
Prior to the announcement of the school closure, Mapoly’s matriculation ceremony and orientation exercise for newly admitted students due to the pandemic had to be put on hold.
According to the calendar, "the semester commenced on January 27th and is expected to end by July 18th after which the second semester will begin by July 20, 2020.
" Orientation exercise for fresh students starts 16th to 20th March while the matriculation
ceremony for fresh students holds March 25th.
"Students on Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) are expected to resume May,4th for registration and commencement of lectures.
" And the first-semester examination will commence on June 29 to July 18 for all categories of students including the Higher National Diploma(HND) as well as National Diploma(ND)."
However, the emergence of the deadly virus in Nigeria has made Mapoly suspended academic activities which has put many students in doubt as to whether the academic year will end this year or early 2021.
An approach to continue to keep the students abreast is the best option to an assumption, this addressed the needs of all students in the same manner through online learning. Most Students are lacking connectivity and a digital device to continue interacting through online lectures.
Meanwhile, some students who expressed their views about the compulsory holiday and the first-semester academic calendar told PCM that it is quite glaring that the session may not be completed this year and that it will affect academic activities.
Oluwaseun Gbemisola, an HND1 Pharmaceutical Technology student
said, "This emergency holiday has really affected several things, first it was matric that was postponed and we don’t even know when to resume," she said.
Abiola Wasiu, an ND2 Marketing added, " I have planned my life and corona will not allow us to finish this year and this will surely affect me, I just pray that God heal our land".
Ademide Ishola, an HND1 Student of Computer Science thinks the calendar can not be adjusted.
"I don’t think the calendar can be adjusted but we can still complete the sessions this year if we can resume this year," she said
However, Olawale Adams, an ND1 Mass Communication Student is hopeful the academic calendar may not be adjusted since online classes has started in various departments.
His words: "The Calendar won’t be adjusted because they’ve introduced the E-class now and it’s getting late already, we can complete the academic session this year hopefully if the pandemic issue stopped on time.
" We’ve stopped taking physical class interactions which are also important to the students on courses that need physical observations and there might be slow progress in the academic calendar," he said
No doubt, with the increasing rate of COVID-19 in Nigeria as released by the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) daily, there is a high probability of not resuming any time soon.
