Online classes to help address SMIU students’ grievances, says acting VC

The acting vice chancellor of the Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU), Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh, while addressing the VC Online Programme on Monday said the SMIU had initiated online classes immediately after the closure of universities due to the coronavirus.

It was aimed at addressing grievances of the students regarding issues being faced by them relating to their studies. When the government announced the lockdown, we were concerned about the suspension of education, and analysing the situation we took to online classes within a short span of time. Our core objective was to save students’ semester, avoid disruption in the academic calendar and let the learning process continue. We already had a digital learning management system (LMS) at the SMIU and we just had to train the teachers.

Dr Shaikh said they had also provided financial assistance/loans to the needy students and teachers to buy digital accessories. The needy students were also provided with an internet data package free of cost. The teachers were provided with online technical assistance by students of their classes, and those who provided online technical assistance to their teachers would get remuneration against the assistance.

The VC had assured the students that their genuine issues, including online classes, internet connectivity and missing lectures due to untimely outages, would be solved immediately. While highlighting the future plans, he said they would launch more PhD programmes as soon as the situation got better. The varsity would also start hybrid and online degree programmes from next the semester where students of the other cities could earn their degrees from their home.

“We are improving with the passage of time, and soon we will share online examination policy with the students. All the students should get benefit from the lockdown period to transform their skills.” Meanwhile, a large number of students participated in this online programme and thanked the SMIU for providing them with the online classes facility.