FNU and USP to resume classes online from next week

Two universities in the country have confirmed that they will resume classes online from next week.

The University of the South Pacific says semester one studies will resume on Monday, April 20th and all students can access USP teaching materials online through Moodle.

USP’s Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia says although most campuses remain in lockdown, they expect the remainder of this semester to be taught on a remote basis.

The USP says those students studying in trimesters or other terms should contact their Course Coordinators for further information.

He says for students in Fiji, Vodafone and Digicel Fiji have made provisions for their customers to access USP website and Moodle for free.

Ahluwalia adds that while they are confident that their students will be able to adapt to fully remote teaching, they are aware that some students will find such learning challenging.

He says that if a student fails a course in Semester One 2020, neither the course nor the grade will appear on the students’ transcript, nor the grade will affect their GPA.

Ahluwalia says to pass a course, a student will need to demonstrate through their performance, that they have met the learning outcomes of the course and and this will differ for each course.

He says a fail grade means that a student has not successfully completed a course and will not prevent them from enrolling in any further courses this year for which the failed course is a prerequisite.

Meanwhile, the Fiji National University will also resume classes from next Monday via online mode. This will be week 9 for semester mode students and week 11 for trimester mode.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor James Pounder says while students and staff will not be allowed on campus, students will be able to continue their studies and access teaching materials through Moodle. There will be no face to face classes until further advice. This includes all Technical College of Fiji students as well.

The University has an agreement with Vodafone and Digicel, which allows its users to access the FNU website and Moodle platform free of charge.

Pounder says they are aware that while the vast majority of their students have access to digital devices and connectivity, there are some students who might not have this access and these students are encouraged to contact their course coordinators immediately for further guidance.

He adds due to the complex and dual-sector nature of the University, a decision on assessments and exams, which will provide maximum flexibility to benefit students who may have varying levels of difficulty, will be released soon in consultation with FNU Students Association.