Coronavirus: Plan being made for universities

Monday, March 16, 2020

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, will on Tuesday meet with stakeholders in the Post Schooling Education and Training System (PSET) to agree on a common national Protocol and Management Plan for Coronavirus (COVID-19) across the sector.

Nzimande said the meeting with Universities South Africa (USAF), the South African College Principals’ Organisation (SACPO), and the South African Students Union (SAUS) will also consider various coping strategies in response to different scenarios regarding the scale and intensity of viral spread, including, if necessary, periods of suspension of all activities at public institutions. 

“We will also be liaising with other critical stakeholders, including national student representative bodies, to ensure that we move in unison as the sector,” Nzimande said.

Outlining the critical protocols that are being put in place by Higher Education and Training to ensure an appropriate response to COVID-19, Nzimande said a Coronavirus team has been established to coordinate the response and collate institutional case management reports in the PSET sector.

The COVID-19 team comprises USAF, SACPO and health experts.

The department has been in close consultation with the leadership of public higher education institutions to develop the measures with the Department of Health.

The PSET sector consists of approximately 2.5 million students and staff.

Nzimande said institutions have already taken tough decisions in a number of areas, including the cancellation of large events, such as graduations, contact lectures and other ceremonies.

“I am aware of the fact that events on the ground are moving fast and that all institutions are making various contingency arrangements regarding their academic programmes where there has been either a viral threat detection, like in the case of Wits University and University of Cape Town, or where institutions are responding to national directives arising from the address to the nation by the State President.

“Some institutions have suspended graduation ceremonies, exams and tests, while others have brought forward their end of terms in order to create space for longer-term planning,” Nzimande said.

The following guidelines apply to all public post-school institutions with immediate effect:

  • All international travel should be cancelled or postponed at this point in time and any students or staff of public institutions, who may have a critical reason to travel internationally, should consult the relevant authorities at their institution and are required to report their planned travel according to the institutional protocols in place.
  • All individuals, who have travelled internationally within the past three weeks, should self-isolate for a period of 14 days, and students or staff members of public institutions are required to report their travel to the institutional authorities before their return, so that their possible return to work/study can be effectively monitored.
  • Travel within South Africa should be limited to essential travel at the current time and wherever possible, planned meetings, symposia or conferences should be restricted, and alternative formats explored, including the use of ITC.
  • Institutions should explore all other possible means to replace face-to-face meetings, lectures of more than 100 people and gatherings with other formats where this can be done, and should consider postponing or cancelling all large-scale gatherings, including graduation ceremonies, large conferences and symposia, for at least the next three months.
     

Nzimande emphasised that every institution needs to have in place a communication strategy to manage regular communication with its community.

The public health information is readily available through the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the Department of Health. The USAF webpage will also be updated with regular communication to the university community.

“The department will also ensure that regular communication channels with the management of institutions is in place, so that information can be cascaded to institutional communities. Every institution has its own context, which will require individual communication plans to be in place.

“Student health clinics across post-school institutions have been working with Higher Health (the Higher Education and Training Health, Wellness and Development Centre) to ensure readiness to deal with COVID-19 infections.

“Higher Health works closely with the Department of Health and the NICD in this regard. It is important that student health services are closely involved in the communication strategies and plans of individual institutions,” Nzimande said.

No immediate plan to shut down higher education institutions 

Meanwhile, Nzimande said there is no immediate plan to shut down public higher education and training institutions. However, operations and teaching and learning will come under strain at this time.

“As gatherings of no more than 100 people are allowed, this requires institutions to develop alternative plans for managing teaching and learning during this period.

“Many undergraduate face-to-face classes cannot be held with this restriction. Institutions will have to develop alternative mechanisms for teaching and learning, utilising technology wherever possible to support alternative teaching methodologies.

“Mitigation plans are being put in place at all institutions to limit contact and prevent the spread of the virus. The sectoral bodies of universities and TVET colleges will be working together to develop appropriate responses at individual campuses, based on shared practices and methodologies that have worked in other higher education systems.

“These will have to take into account the different conditions and contexts at individual institutions,” the Minister said.

COVID-19 resources

The Department of Health has launched a new website detailing all COVID-19 related resources. The website contains important contact details, including the emergency support hotline, and up-to-date news and resources.

The department has also put a WhatsApp support group in place, where concerned South Africans can join the conversation and stay informed.

The WhatsApp number is 0600123456. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) website is www.nicd.ac.za<http://www.nicd.ac.za. – SAnews.gov.za