Middle-class solutions miss the reality for our students

The pandemic has resulted in a worldwide lockdown with various restrictions applied. At all educational levels we are required to remote teach. Having said that, we should also be mindful that all the plans for remote teaching on digital platforms require data.

The worldwide lockdown has affected many people financially. It is therefore not inconceivable that our students will also be affected financially. We are a developing country, so we have high levels of poverty in our country; parents and guardians rely on informal sources of employment, some have no employment during this time and most of our students are completely dependent on the flawed National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

When our students and learners are at our educational institutions, they have access to free Wi-Fi on our campuses, and mostly, too, in the accredited accommodations. On any given day they can also access free Wi-Fi from hotspots around towns and cities.

The #FeesMustFall shutdown of 2015/2016 led to many universities adopting digital platforms as alternative spaces for learning and teaching. At that time, students were still in their residences and there was freedom of movement to access free Wi-Fi.

Our students and learners are at home, and with restrictions placed on movement and the resultant closure of spaces that offer free Wi-Fi (restaurants, coffee shops) they will not have access to free Wi-Fi.

We need to be cognisant that in any educational institution and even within one academic department, there is unevenness in resources that our students can access. This should affect how we manage what we teach. We need to be mindful of who our students are.

We should have a dual system in place, and this may require us to revisit our learning and teaching and assessment. It is reprehensible to only have upper middleclass solutions in a country such as ours. The dual system would consist of all the excellent online solutions that technology offers.

Our carefully laid plans may become undone. There are calls to save the academic year. If technology proves to be unreliable, may I suggest that when we return to our classes, we adopt a second, more old-fashioned approach as well? Alethea de Villiers, associate professor, head of department: music and performing arts, Nelson Mandela University (this letter has been shortened — Ed)

Your nation needs you to stay home

A ruthless predator is stalking us, an elusive foe, a professional killer that has no respect for human life. It lurks in crowded places, waiting for the opportunity to unleash its fangs on the unsuspecting. It kills the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak. Our only defence is to stay at home.

By venturing into crowded places we are inviting death into our lives. We owe it to our children, our grandchildren and the next generation to not become victims of this faceless, insidious grim reaper.

Our nation is in immense peril. Safeguard your family and your nation by remaining indoors; our homes are our safest havens. Exercise clinical hygiene by washing our hands regularly, maintaining a safe distance from others and leave the safety zone of our homes only if it is absolutely vital.

With courage, fortitude and respect for the rules and regulations as promulgated by our government, we will defeat and banish Covid-19 from our shores. Our prayers and strict adherence to the law will enable us to emerge victorious. Stay at home, it is your solemn duty to protect our nation during this undeclared war against an encroaching biological enemy.

Farouk Araie, Benoni

Donate, self-isolate and repent

The Covid- 19 virus is moving at a pace the world did not expect a few weeks ago. As the lockdown begins to bite and affect South Africans, where social and physical distancing is commanded we must all do our part to ensure the lives and wellbeing of everyone around us, including the most vulnerable human beings of our population. Vulnerable elderly people and people with chronic ailments have been told to be extra cautious and self-isolate, which will reduce their exposure.

To this end, it will be essential to pay attention to human connection in virtual solidarity, cohesion and co-operation to find novel but safe ways to ensure that human support is continued.

Given the likely longer-term nature of the pandemic and the incoming winter flu season, I humbly request my fellow South Africans to voluntarily donate to bona fide relief agencies and registered disaster management funds to help combat the disease and suffering. This is an unprecedented time, at least in recent history, and definitely at this global level.

One of the greatest challenges of Covid19 is managing the gap between haves and have-nots. According to my religious beliefs, in order to obtain the mercy of the Almighty during plagues such as Covid-19, increasing help and aid to the less privileged and seeking forgiveness improve the situation.

Mohamed Saeed, Pietermaritzburg

Capitalism will have the last laugh

Your Insight section of March 29 urges us to relish humour during the lockdown. You certainly contributed by publishing the piece by Floyd Shivambu. What unadulterated nonsense! But it gave us all a good laugh.

Capitalism will rebuild world economies after this crisis; it is a great opportunity for all nations, including SA. John Lavender, George

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