A group of 20 #FeesMustFall students from NMMU have approached the Grahamstown High Court on an urgent basis to interdict the institution from enrolling E-learning arguing that the internet-based learning is disadvantaging students without internet and computer access.
NMMU instituted the E-learning on October 31 as a measure to counter the violent #FeesMustFall protests which threatened the completion of the 2016 academic year.
In the court documents the students demand the institution to come up with alternative learning method that would not disadvantage students without computer access. The students ask the judge that if NMMU fails to come up with an alternative learning method, the judge should therefore rule against the internet learning system.
The students argue that the assessments, submissions and tests via E-learning would exclude the 20. Leader of the group Gretchen Sudenie, 34, a final-law student, said: “The newly implemented E-learning recovery plan, is exclusionary. The introduction of E-learning has become an immediate and direct threat to the academic well-being of the students who are challenged in that they cannot access E-learning system.”
In the court documents Sudenie further states that the NMMU student community battle with the necessary resources and equipment to facilitate successful use of the E-learning system. “A number of students in most instances have no laptops, computers, smartphones with compatible software, or any other device that could be used to access the E-learning system and follow the instructions placed there by their respective lecturers across the various faculties.” The students also argue that the method does not guarantee student readiness to sit for examinations.
The students say they have been left by the institution with no other choice but to approach the High Court.
Court bid to stop internet-based learning at NMMU
A group of 20 #FeesMustFall students from NMMU have approached the Grahamstown High Court on an urgent basis to interdict the institution from enrolling E-learning arguing that the internet-based learning is disadvantaging students without internet and computer access.
NMMU instituted the E-learning on October 31 as a measure to counter the violent #FeesMustFall protests which threatened the completion of the 2016 academic year.
In the court documents the students demand the institution to come up with alternative learning method that would not disadvantage students without computer access. The students ask the judge that if NMMU fails to come up with an alternative learning method, the judge should therefore rule against the internet learning system.
The students argue that the assessments, submissions and tests via E-learning would exclude the 20. Leader of the group Gretchen Sudenie, 34, a final-law student, said: “The newly implemented E-learning recovery plan, is exclusionary. The introduction of E-learning has become an immediate and direct threat to the academic well-being of the students who are challenged in that they cannot access E-learning system.”
In the court documents Sudenie further states that the NMMU student community battle with the necessary resources and equipment to facilitate successful use of the E-learning system. “A number of students in most instances have no laptops, computers, smartphones with compatible software, or any other device that could be used to access the E-learning system and follow the instructions placed there by their respective lecturers across the various faculties.” The students also argue that the method does not guarantee student readiness to sit for examinations.
The students say they have been left by the institution with no other choice but to approach the High Court.
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