GCU to hold on-campus, online classes at same time

LAHORE:Government College University Lahore will adopt hybrid style of teaching for the Fall Semester 2020 which involves both face-to face and online teaching. “We’re resuming classes from September 15; about fifty per cent students in each class will attend lectures on-campus while the remaining students will be online at the same time,” said GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi on Thursday.

In a direction issued to all the departmental chairpersons, Prof Zaidi said they needed to adopt this hybrid style of teaching till the complete eradication of Covid-19. He directed that the teachers concerned should ensure social distancing within the classrooms while it would be mandatory for all students, staff and faculty to wear masks.

The Vice Chancellor explained that students with odd and even roll numbers would attend on-campus lectures on alternate days. He asked chairpersons to synchronise this strategy with the University’s general timetable to avoid any confusion.

Prof Zaidi also advised that instead of one hour, each class should be of 90 minutes to reduce the number of visits of students to the campus. “Thus, each three credit course will have two lectures per week of 90 minutes each,” he explained.

The VC called upon chairpersons to check and ensure the availability of fast internet connections in their respective departments to enable live streaming of lectures. However, he said, overall Directorate of Information Technology were strengthening the internet connectivity at the University level. Prof Zaidi said, “If required, chairperson can engage teachers on Saturdays for teaching purposes.” He also asked chairpersons and programme coordinators to ensure the uploading of course material and course handbooks according to the prescribed format on GCU-LMS.

Cycling track: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Thursday inaugurated its second cycling track in Bagh-e-Jinnah, after such track in Jilani Park. The cycling track constructed at Bagh-e-Jinnah is 3.3 km on which citizens can cycle in the morning and evening hours, said PHA DG Jawad Ahmed Qureshi. PHA Chairman Engineer Yasir Gilani and Vice-Chairman Hafiz Zeeshan Rasheed were also present. After the inauguration, the PHA chairman, vice chairman and the DG cycled on the track with a professional cyclist.

Adventure cycling group, children and women also participated in the opening ceremony and cycled the track. Meanwhile, PHA Additional Director Tariq Ali Bukhari has taken charge of

his post.