With the Covid-19 (Novel Corona Virus) cases increasing, the Maltese population is reacting, amongst them the University of Malta students and staff.
Lecturers are cancelling more lectures with each day and students are also not attending on their own accord. Whilst some lectures are being substituted by videos, online resources, or virtual lectures, some lectures are being cancelled altogether with no compensation from the lecturer’s end. The record of cancelled lectures may be negatively impacting students’ academic life, especially when no alternative is offered, considering that Dissertation deadlines are coming up for many final-year students. There are also practical units (such as placements, tutorials, presentations) that cannot be substituted or compensated for which will have to be postponed.
The pandemic has also been negatively affecting student activism and extra-curricular activities altogether.
Several events that have been in the works for student organisations across campus planned for March and April have been cancelled or postponed until further notice. This has resulted in a lot of internal disruption amongst student organisations. Some of the key events that have been cancelled include KSU’s Annual Car Treasure Hunt and Egypt International Trip, whilst KSU has not issued an official statement regarding Student Fest which is planned for the 2nd week of April.
UMASA (University of Malta Academic Staff Association) have just issued a statement via email to all student organisations and media houses regarding the pandemic. They have requested for all lectures to be cancelled until the end of Easter recess. Due to this, many student organisations and students alike have stepped forward to express their concerns about such a potentially impactful decision, including KSU.
In a statement on Facebook, KSU have emphasised that they hold the students’ wellbeing and safety at utmost importance, whilst voicing their concern as to how lectures will be handled and whether alternatives will be considered. That said, the Council have sent an email to student organisations and representatives to hold an urgent KPS/KE meeting tonight to zero in on what position the University student body should take regarding the situation.
