COVID-19: Will Not Truncate Academic Calendar — Vice-Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor of Evangel University, Akaeze, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Iche Ukpai-Kalu, says students of the institution would graduate in record time in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Ukpai-Kalu, represented by Tiben Nwali, the institution’s Director of Public Affairs, spoke at a news briefing on Tuesday in Ebonyi.

According to the vice-chancellor, the staff members and students are working in synergy toward ensuring that the academic calendar of the university is not truncated by the current global challenge.

“The institution’s online platforms for teaching and learning are very effective and parade the best brains in the academic world.

“The university management under the vice-chancellor is doing its best to motivate workers through regular salary payment, in spite of lean revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have conducted mid-semester quizzes online; we are ready to start exams online as soon as possible.

“But within the week, every lecturer is expected to have conducted online quizzes for their students.

“So, we have a very effective online teaching and learning platform for our students. That they are at home doesn’t mean they are losing anything.

“That’s why the management insists that the students will graduate on record time because we are utilising our time judiciously,” he said.

Mr Ukpai-Kalu reiterated the commitment of the institution to providing qualitative teaching and learning to students of the university adding that the COVID-19 pandemic would not affect the school’s academic calendar.

“We have not been affected by the lockdown arising from the coronavirus pandemic; we are effectively rendering academic services to our students online.

“We, therefore, wish to use this opportunity to call on parents and guardians of students of the university to pay their school fees because they are having lectures every day in the comfort of their rooms.

“The management has been able to work hard to ensure that there is constant payment of salaries for every member of staff of the university,” Ukpai-Kalu said.

He said the school had released admission cut-off marks for prospective students into various departments for the 2020/2021 academic session.