By Ignatius Ushie
Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Commodore Duja Effedua (Rtd), on Saturday said that the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the academic session of the academy because students were able to write examinations and hold 20 online classes simultaneously in different courses due to the good ICT team in the school.
According to a statement made available to Transport Day in Abuja, Effedua said that before COVID-19 the Cadets had already being equipped and engaged in an online lecture for distance learning with the Nautical and IMarEST institute both in UK.
He pointed out that graduating Cadets of the academy would resume Oct. 28 as physical lectures and practicals commence on Nov. 2 to prepare them for graduation in December, noting that other Cadets would resume Jan. 2, 2021.
According to him, “We are the first to start online lectures. We were able to hold 20 classes simultaneously in various courses. Their exams were done online, we have a good ICT team so COVID-19 didn’t disturb our academic session because before now, they have always had online lectures for distance learning and they are well equipped. Every Cadet has a laptop. He said
“All the Staff, both academic and non-academic staff, are to resume on Oct. 23 to prepare for the resumption of Cadets in graduating class which will be on Oct. 28 while lectures would resume on Nov.2. Adding that “The Junior Cadets will continue online lectures and resume Jan. 2, 2021 for physical lectures. We have put all Ministry of Education and NCDC guidelines into place. We are issuing four KM95 nose masks to each Cadets and hand sanitizer.
He maintained that “Any Cadets who resume will not go back home until they graduate in December to avoid contamination of the virus except on medical grounds.”
Effedua stated that the management has set up a task force team, to be headed by the HOD Medical to monitor and ensure that NCDC guidelines were effectively enforced during the session. He said that as part of the efforts to continually improve services in the academy, a simulator would soon be inaugurated.
He further stated that the stimulator has arrived and would be installed in two weeks at the academy The Rector added that all things being equal in December, it would be commissioned.
