COVID-19: Angry GIJ students kick against Online exams

Irate students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) have kicked against online examination being introduced by the management of the institute.

Authorities at GIJ on Wednesday, April 15, issued guidelines informing students of the online examinations scheduled for May 25. Similar directives were also issued by the University of Professional Studies, Accra, (UPSA) informing their students of e-exams scheduled for Monday, May 18.

The UPSA stated that their final exams will take the form of take-home assignments which will be completed offline and submitted online within a specific period.

But students of GIJ have kicked against the mode of their online examinations. Some students who spoke to Starrfm.com.gh stated that authorities at the institute have failed to address concerns raised since online learning started almost a month ago when schools in the country were shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to some students, the university took the decision without consulting the student body. They claim some lecturers have not been active with the online lectures meaning students will suffer if exams are held online.

The students also complain that some of their colleagues come from rural areas and have returned to their homes when the Institute was closed down and a lockdown declared in the capital. The students claim that such students will be greatly affected if the institute goes ahead with the e-exams.

“How can they ask us to write online exams when most of our colleagues live in rural areas with very poor internet connectivity. Not all of us have laptops and smartphones so how do they expect us to write the exams online. They are trying to help us graduate but they must also be concerned about some of the challenges that some students go through. There are students who are yet to make full payment of their fees and because of this COVID-19, their parents are home, how can they complete their payment to participate in the e-exams they are talking about,” a student told Starrfm.com.gh

The students are also angry that Project Work which is a requirement for final year students has been converted into Term Papers without any form of consultations with the student body.

According to the students, most of them have completed 70 percent of their projects and converting them to Term Papers will be a burden.

“We will kick against this latest directive by the management, they behave like autocrats and failed to even consult some of us in the SRC. How can you take such decisions that affect students without inputs from the SRC? This is really unfair and we will kick against this move,” a member of the SRC told Starrfm.com.gh on condition of anonymity.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh