Coronavirus: UNIZIK Suspends Chinese Language Programme

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, March 9th, 2020

From Ignatius Okpara, Awka

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Worried by the outbreak, and current alarming spread of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19 disease globally, the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK Awka, Anambra state, Southeast Nigeria, has suspended the Confucius Institute programme which teaches the Chinese and other foreign languages in the ivory tower.

This was made known Monday by Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university Professor Charles Esimone, while briefing newsmen on activities lined up for the forthcoming 14th convocation ceremony of the school.

The university boss said: “yes, the Coronavirus affected some of our programmes, especially the confucius Institute. “Last December, most of our Chinese lecturers in that institute went on holiday, but when the disease broke early this year, we had to suspend the programme, stop them from coming back immediately” he hinted.

According to him, “Because of the importance of the programme, the university is considering starting the programme online, to fill the void.

“Because of the efforts of the management of the university, it has made a great leap into the first 1,000 universities in the university ranking, as again being above number 2,000 previously.

He added that: “In the academics we have done a lot, we have rejigged the appraisal process.

“We have looked at quality of teaching, and as we speak we have introduced clock-in clock-out system. We monitor lecturers and students in examination using CCTV to ensure the lecturers are doing their job, and to also stop students from cheating during examinations.

African Examiner reports that UNIZIK, is among the federal government owned universities in Southeast Nigeria.