Strategies of the Dominican University Nigeria in Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract:In this chapter, using qualitative research methods, I accounted for the strategies adopted by the management of Dominican University to help students continue their educational activities during COVID -19 pandemic. The challenges experienced by students using the online learning platform and strategies they devised to manage these challenges were also examined. The Dominican University switched to online learning method during the lock down. Students were faced with various challenges during their on line classes. These include erratic power supply, high cost of data bundle for Internet connection, and poor network connection among others. To manage these challenges, students resorted to the use of generators and power banks to charge their electronic devices, some went and lived with friends or relatives living in areas with stable network connection to receive their lectures. The online learning made the lecturers and students more Internet savvy and enabled students continued their lectures without disruption. However, students missed the face to face interaction with their lecturers and fellow students. Coming back on campus after the lock down, the management of Dominican University provided taps and wash hand basins at strategic places in the school, made compulsory the use of face masks as well as discourage the crowding of students at the cafeteria to ensure the students safety. The study recommended that for online learning to be effective in higher institutions in Nigeria there is need for stable power supply and good Internet connection.