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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
THE Midlands State University (MSU) has reopened for face-to-face lectures for first year students who will be on campus for two weeks before they start online learning.

The university has put in place measures under World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health and Child Care recommendations to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

In an interview, MSU director of information and public relations, Mrs Mirirai Mawere: “I can confirm that we have opened the university starting with First Year, Level 1.1, who are going to be on our campuses for orientation and face-to-face lectures from September 7 up to September 19, 2020.”

Mrs Mawere said measures to ensure students adhered to social distancing guidelines have been put in place.
Lupane State University (LSU) director of marketing and communication Mr Zwelithini Dlamini said first year students at the institution will come to the campus for orientation for about three to four weeks before going back home for virtual learning.

“Around September 14, we are welcoming our first-year students on campus, he said. They will be there for between three to four weeks depending on the faculty because some faculties require practical lessons after which they will go back home and continue virtual learning since we will have taught them how it’s done.”

Mr Dlamini said students were encouraged to bring at least two face masks and will be subjected to temperature checks when they leave their hostels.

At the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), students from three faculties, namely Commerce, Applied Sciences and Engineering have been on campus since Monday to complete final examinations that were disrupted by the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
Nust director of communication and marketing Mr Thabani Mpofu said their focus was to complete the 2019-2020 calendar.

“We reopened on Monday for the final year students in the Faculties of Commerce, Applied Sciences and Engineering who had not completed writing their examinations, he said. So, we called them back so that they finish their examinations.
After that we will start on working on results of all students who wrote their examinations.”

Mr Mpofu said the shortage of on-campus accommodation in the face of Covid-19 forced the university to work on finishing examinations before focus was turned to first-year students.

“Accommodation for students is very limited, we don’t have space on campus and that is why these students are coming in batches to mitigate against the spread of Covid-19, he said. So, we will release the calendar for the March intake after we are done with examinations. Dates for orientation, registration and all that will be announced.”