End to onsite teaching was right call, say educators

THE city’s university leaders are ‘disappointed’ to have to suspend onsite teaching for the majority of students but agree it’s the correct decision to help bring the Covid pandemic under control.

The university was responding following the prime minister’s lockdown announcement on Monday which also included the banning of face-to-face teaching i n UK universities for all but a select few subjects which require a more practical input.

Responding to the gover nment directive a university spokesman said: ‘The University of Portsmouth is disappointed to have to pause most face-toface teaching but it’s what we have been required to do, and it's the right thing to do to help reduce the transmission of the virus.’

The minister of state for universities has written to students and individual institutions highlighting that face to face teaching can only continue in medicine, dentistry and other medical related professions.

Throughout the pandemic many of the university’s students studying medical related professions have been supporting the Covid frontline fight.

The university spokesman added: ‘ The university has advised students and staf f that all teaching will be online only from January until further advised with the exception of critical health and social care courses, and i nitial teacher training.

‘The university has invested in extensive safety measures to keep those safe who need to be on campus.

‘We are taking a responsible and careful approach and have followed gover nment guidance to the letter, surpassing many of the requirements placed on us.’