KU is not ready for distance learning, says Dr Al-Dhafiri
‘School system is governed by laws, not emotions’
KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Kuwait University is not ready for ‘distance learning’ (online); while the traditional school system is governed by laws and regulations, not emotions, reports Al-Rai daily quoting acting President of the university Dr Fayez Al-Dhafiri.
“We are easily carried away by our emotions in terms of providing e-learning service to our students, but what about approving their diplomas and educational attainment? All of this is taken into account. We cannot move to e-learning without a legal structure and academic credits,” he explained.
He confirmed the university has enough funds, support from the political leadership and distinct electronic infrastructure. “Our training centers are ready to train the academic staff and students on the e-learning system, but we have to follow certain laws and regulations,” he said.
He went on to say that everything which has been raised so far about the direction of the university in terms of distance learning is incorrect. The existing laws and regulations do not allow this. The problem is not just the framework of distance education, there are many other problems, he added.
He pointed out that traditional education was approved in 1966 and it has been implemented since then. The university is keen on offering quality education in its colleges, which are different in nature, he asserted.
He disclosed our scientific colleges such as Medicine, Engineering and Science cannot operate remotely as they are different from literary colleges.
He added the University Council adopted an alternative plan in the event that the suspension of classes is extended after Aug 9. “We will train faculty members on the e-learning system starting from next month in preparation for the worst. If we decide to apply distance learning formally, it will start with the first year students; so they can be trained better and it will not be an obstacle to their educational attainment in the future,” he concluded.