This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates the adoption of digital learning, universities in Kenya are racing against time to establish robust online infrastructure. One such institution is Mount Kenya University (MKU), which has invested Ksh 50 million to enhance its e-learning infrastructure.
According to Vice-Chancellor Prof Stanley Waudo, the initiative has enabled students to access user-friendly online platforms, ensuring they get the best value out of their online learning experience. The university has also seen an influx of new entrants who want to complete their coursework on time.
Prof Waudo noted that the university was already one of the biggest e-learning providers in the country before the pandemic, making the transition to online learning relatively smooth. However, the university is still faced with the challenge of ensuring that all programmes offered through e-learning conform to learning outcomes and other requirements specified in the face-to-face delivery of the curriculum.
As a result, MKU has urged students who had not completed their coursework or written their examinations to register for online classes. By Friday last week, 6,000 students, especially those in their final year, had registered for the classes. This is in addition to the 7,000 students who were already on the university's e-learning platform before the pandemic.
Prof Waudo emphasized that the university is taking steps to prevent cheating, including testing students on critical thinking and understanding of the subject. He said, "What we are doing is testing students on critical thinking and understanding of the subject in order to curb the possibility of cheating."
