Following the passage of three professors at the University of Ibadan, reportedly due to the coronavirus pandemic within few days the university authorities have decided to embark on virtual lectures as a measure to contain the pandemic.
This was contained in a press statement on Monday, signed by the University’s Registrar, Olubunmi Faluyi, noting that a blended mode of teaching on the campus for the rest of the ongoing second semester examination would be adopted.
Though it did not confirm the cause of the death of the three dons, findings by premiumtimesng.com revealed that they died of the pandemic.
Confirming the increasing number of coronavirus cases at both the main campus of the university, its college of medicine and college hospital, the university management said the increasing COVID-19 cases calls for caution and proactive actions which includes a review of mode of teaching and learning.
It also emphasized that all inhabitants, workers on the campus and users of its facilities must ensure compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
The statement reads in part: “This is to inform the University community that management has requested the faculties to identify the courses to be taught online and those to be taught physically en route to the commencement of the blended mode of teaching and learning for the remaining part of the second semester of the 2020/2021 session.”
The statement further noted that the decision arose from the proposal submitted to the Committee of Provosts and Deans (CoPD) by the Emergency Remote Teaching Committee (ERTC) at a meeting which was held on August 11.
“More cases of Covid-19 are being announced nationwide. These call for caution and proactive actions which should take into consideration, in the main, the review of the mode of teaching and learning in the second semester and, as a consequence, provide a safe way to undertake pedagogical activities on Nigerian university campuses.”
It added, “The ERTC platforms and tools (LMS, zoom, youtube, gsuite accounts, telegram fora, solution clinics) should be maintained for use by students and staff in all cases.”
The management also said that if the situation worsens on campus, full online engagement should be mounted for all courses, exempting only departments and units with special needs with the condition that evident strict compliance with the protocols will be observed.
It informed that arrangements are ongoing to make vaccines available for all students and staff of the university.
Meanwhile, one of the professors who allegedly died of the complications from the pandemic on July 27, David Olaleye, was a key member of the Oyo state COVID-19 task-force and was head of the clinical virology laboratory where COVID-19 tests are being conducted in the state.
Sources, who did not want to be quoted, revealed that the result of a laboratory test that confirmed that Olaleye was positive was only received after his demise.
The two other professors who reportedly died of the pandemic were Bankole Oke of the Department of Veterinary Medicine with specialization in veterinary anatomy, and Anthony Ologbobo of the Department of Animal Science in the Faculty of Agricultural Science.
Ogbomosoinsightonline.com reports that Nigeria has continued to battle the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic arising from the emergence of the deadly Delta variant.
According to an update by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the country has recorded 7,613 cases within two weeks raising the total number of infections in the country to 182,503,.
The figure is higher than the 6,290 cases recorded in the four weeks from July 1 to 31.
So far, 2,219 fatalities have been reported with 68 fatalities recorded in the past two weeks indicating a full blown third wave in the country.
Amidst this, Nigeria commenced the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination on Monday. Almost four million people have already been vaccinated in the first phase which commenced on March 5, 2021.
Meanwhile, since Oyo State reported the Delta variant of the virus some weeks ago, coronavirus cases in the state have increased significantly.
