IJSSER

Title: STRATEGIC RESPONSES TO CRISIS: CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITIES IN UGANDA DURING COVID-19
Authors: Gregory Tweheyo and Alex Mugarura
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Gregory Tweheyo1 and Alex Mugarura2 1. Bustema University, Uganda 2. Makerere University Business School, Uganda
MLA 8 Tweheyo, Gregory, and Alex Mugarura. "STRATEGIC RESPONSES TO CRISIS: CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITIES IN UGANDA DURING COVID-19." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 6, no. 4, Apr. 2021, pp. 1250-1271, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i04.009. Accessed Apr. 2021. APA 6 Tweheyo, G., & Mugarura, A. (2021, April). STRATEGIC RESPONSES TO CRISIS: CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITIES IN UGANDA DURING COVID-19. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 6(4), 1250-1271. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i04.009 Chicago Tweheyo, Gregory, and Alex Mugarura. "STRATEGIC RESPONSES TO CRISIS: CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITIES IN UGANDA DURING COVID-19." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 6, no. 4 (April 2021), 1250-1271. Accessed April, 2021. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i04.009.
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Abstract: The study examined the short-term impact of COVID-19 crisis on University Education in Uganda and strategies being adopted by Universities in Uganda to cope up with COVID-19 shocks. The study used a cross-sectional research design and the online questionnaire to collect data from 21 universities and other degree awarding institutions. From the study, it was shown that lack of continuity in teaching and learning was at the heart of the crisis as most universities in Uganda are campus based and this was attributed to inadequate infrastructure and equipment to rollout ODeL. In addition, all universities experienced a sharp decline in students’ admissions, revenue collections thus lack of capacity to pay salaries to staff members, especially private universities. However, amidst the broad challenges COVID-19 posed, the crisis created opportunities of promotion of remote-working; development and implementation of online and blended programs, attitude change towards e-learning training, increased innovation and improved technological competency of staff and also university collaboration and partnerships. The following strategies were being employed to mitigate the crisis; universities have delayed the start dates until the reopening of universities by the line authorities, changed the application deadlines for the next intake programs and others are switching to online teaching. High internet connectivity, poor internet connectivity in rural areas, lack of required access equipment by students and lack of technological infrastructure are some of the challenges universities are facing to scale up ODeL. There is need to address infrastructure issues and lack of access equipment, universities should consider sharing of educational materials and resources among themselves and other institutions, national digital policy learning framework. The universities should develop virtual laboratories to support the online teaching of practical and practicum/lectures, review the programs and ensure that they are accredited by NCHE as online programs as it requirement by law and training both students and staff on the use of digital delivery models before the implementation by the institutions among others all inevitable.

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