The outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic brought about many changes in the world ranging from economy, transportation, tourism, social events, education among others.
In view of that, most countries in the world adopted the change brought by the Pandemic in order to ensure sustainability, some of the changes include banning of flight, border closure, social distancing, banning of public gathering, and shutting down of schools, all as the measures of containing the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic.
Already, the pandemic has spread to over 180 countries of the world; the disease mode of transmission has compelled tertiary institutions in many affected countries to switch from physical classes to online.
Nigeria has no online switch option, instead, it stopped abruptly. This is because Nigeria lacks adequate facilities for taking classes online.
The Nigerian government banned all public gatherings containing more than 50 people and ordered the closure of all primary and tertiary institutions to contain further spread of the virus. Same measures were also taken in some countries of the world by directing institutions of learning to commence classes online rather than stopped abruptly.
In developed countries like America, Germany, France among others were immediately taken classes online to enhance the learning capacity of the students rather than staying home doing nothing while the school Calendar is ongoing.
Nigeria is yet to decide whether to go or not to go for the online classes through an effort is ongoing by the Federal Government to come up with an idea of how to commence the classes online.
It is almost getting to three months that our primary and tertiary institutions were shut down and nothing put in place as readiness to resume academics through government announced that pupils and students of secondary schools would be taken free classes by various communication platforms through federal and states own media.
Indeed is welcome idea if is possible but the case is that, even if the media platforms will do a great job then " ba anan gizo ke sakarba" meaning that this is not where the problem is. The point here is that it is not every student or pupil have access to these information platforms and even if they have they are not used to it, then how do you think the classes would be more effective.
In the same vein, many homes in Nigeria don't have electricity talk less of having a television or a Radio set though there are portable Radio sets that use a battery. Again, parents too will not be mindful enough on how the classes will be going on because most of us considered Radio and Television as entertainment platforms.
One more point is that government should seriously take a look at our education system and compare it to the western world which is so sure that they will experience quit numbers of disparities be it from instructional materials and the method of deliverance. let me not mastermind the challenge to our teachers alone but how do you think that a teacher who can't express himself well in a classroom of fifty students will do so on Television or Radio perfect when people of different levels and qualifications are watching or listening to him?
Still, most often Television and Radio programs are boring if lacks a very good presenter then how sure are you such teachers will be good enough to present or deliver classes on Television Or Radio? how do you think he will get control of the students in such a situation because good presenter held many listeners.
On the other hand, the Nigerian Universities are left behind due to inadequate infrastructures of switching to online classes, even if they have it isn' every student that has access to the necessary gadgets that may help him/her to receive lectures.
However, even if our institutions have the possible means, proper orientation needs to be conducted, then how? amidst this novel Pandemic supporting social distancing. I think our institutions should rise up before we left behind which we are about to.
Academics shouldn't not be stopped at all, I mean, by all means, the government should do the right thing because we don't have too much time to waste when we are already left behind compare to the global nation because the more we stop the more foreign institutions have gone to achieve the necessary.
So much is required to be done especially by training and retraining of both the lecturers and students to be more familiar with technological instruments if not we will continue to count on time when we don't have enough to count. It's already three months now and no news of resumption yet.
Meanwhile, for Nigeria to have online classes we must have a good internet architecture whereby both the lecturers and students will be able to access good and free internet services if not online classes will only be a daydream.
I mean not until now, Nigeria Universities supposed to have adapted this system before this trying time because education needs to be provided by all means. Therefore, the government should notify this and equipped our institutions of learning to avoid further occurrence, God forbid.
But now it will be of great difficulty for us to achieve such a dream or target. The only way Nigeria can achieve such things is through planning.
Manpower should be adequately put in place in all the primary and tertiary institution's of the country which without doing so nothing will be achieved.
Finally, Nigerian government should take the advantage of this Pandemic to compelled Computer studies to every student right from primary school to higher education that could revamp education system in Nigeria, at the same time digital elements need to be provided as the world is going through the digital era.
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