The University of Fiji has directed its students and staff to refrain from travelling to its campuses in Saweni and Samabula until further notice.
University Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem said this was to ensure that all contingencies were met in light of the Government’s updates on Covid-19 restrictions in Nadi and Lautoka and for schools.
She said the University of Fiji administrators were closely monitoring the announcements made by the Prime Minister and the Health Ministry before further advising staff and students of any developments.
“From this week, all UniFiji classes will be conducted through online virtual classrooms which the University had established in 2019 during the first lockdown,” Prof Shameem said.
She said virtual classrooms allowed the university to continue with learning and teaching with very little extra effort as the university’s IT system had been set up already to cope with exactly such an eventuality.
“We had hoped for the best but, at the same time, prepared for the worst in case Fiji had to face Covid-19 community transmission as has happened in other countries leading to interruptions in learning.
“Lecturers will be able to meet their students and conduct their classes online through the method we have adopted called ‘Face to Face Online’. No student will be disadvantaged this way as even tests and assessments will be conducted online if the lockdown persists.”
