University is supposed to be among the most enjoyable and formative periods of a person’s life. Spare a thought then for the class of Covid-19. This week’s lockdown announcement again dealt yet another blow to an already disastrous year for university students. Despite having paid the usual tuition fees – and forking out thousands of pounds for pre-paid accommodation – the majority are now stuck at home, learning exclusively through Zoom.
Universities cannot be blamed for the seemingly unrelenting succession of lockdowns caused by the pandemic. But that doesn’t alter the fact that we students have been compelled to pay £9,250 for a programme of often poorly-organised video lectures, alongside limited access to books and libraries. And this all relies on a stable internet connection, a luxury which some students can neither access nor afford.
Before the start of the academic year, Russell Group universities including York, Cardiff and Queen’s University Belfast promised a ‘hybrid model’ of teaching, with ‘online delivery complementing face-to-face teaching.’
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