Chinese universities introduce online classes amid coronavirus spread

Dar es Salaam. Higher education students in China will now be required to undertake online learning after some universities were recently forced to suspend regular classes as a measure to contain spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Following the initiative, Tanzania’s Embassy in China is instructing Tanzanian students in the Asian nation to communicate with their respective universities’ administrations to get to the depth of the matter.

One of the higher learning institutions, Tsinghua University wrote on its Twitter page that it will start offering more than 4, 000 classes through online platforms to its 25, 000 students this semester.

Tanzanian Ambassador to China, Mr Mbelwa Kairuki told The Citizen through the phone on Monday, February 17, 2020 that the availability of the temporary measure offers a chance for students to continue with their studies without necessarily having to come to a physical classroom.

“This is a temporary measure aimed at ensuring that students continue with their studies. Therefore, I would like to urge Tanzanian students to contact their respective universities so they can be able to know what courses will be conducted online,” he said.

The government has already, on several occasions, assured parents, guardians and relatives of nearly 420 students studying in China of their children’s security in the Asian nation.

It has repeatedly said that there was no need to evacuate them over health safety concerns.

More than 70,000 people have been infected by the epidemic in mainland China, which started in central Hubei province and has spread across China and to other countries.

It has claimed 1,770 lives and prompted the closure of many schools, entertainment venues and large-scale events across China.

The outbreak has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) as it continues to spread outside China.