#SaveSMUacademicyear 

SMU management continues to fail students through gross incompetence and failed promises. Communique after communique we are reminded of promises not kept and the very deadlines set out by management failed to be met.

As of 18 July 2020, hiding behind the slogan “no student will be left behind” online teaching and learning has still not commenced for many students. 7 weeks after the initial deadline of gadgets passed and 3 months after identifying students needing those gadgets. We employ Minister Dr Blade Nzimande to urgently intervene and help save the academic year.   

18 April: Prof Eunice Seekoe, DVC teaching, learning and community engagement sent out a call for students to express their need for gadgets and data for online learning. This call ended on 21 April 2020.

27 April: Prof Eunice Seekoe, stated that the call was successful and ended on 23 April 2020 with a new extension from 28 April 2020 until 1 May 2020

17 May: The Registrar sent out the revised 2020 Academic Calendar scheduling online teaching and learning to commence on 1 June 2020.

18 May: Prof Eunice Seekoe “ The institution has made significant progress in positioning itself to deploy multimodal teaching and learning plan” 

20 May: Another call for expression of the need of gadgets Was sent out with the deadline being 25 May 2020. 

29 May: Prof Ayo-Yusuf Acting VC in his communique wrote that students will receive data on 1 June 2020 “while they await delivery of their laptops, which we expect to be delivered over the coming three weeks as informed by the suppliers”

30 May: Prof Eunice Seekoe confirmed that “with regards to the laptops, these devices are expected to be delivered in the next 3 weeks” and that “Online teaching and learning will start when all students have received their laptops”

1 June: Prof Peter Mbati is the new Vice Chancellor. 

3 June: Prof Eunice Seekoe postpones online teaching and learning  “until all students have received their data”

22 June: SMU Students submit a memorandum of demands to management

22 June: Management responds to the memorandum stating “the minister, in a letter dated 17 June 2020 approved the funds for acquisition of student laptops”

(22 June marks the end of the 3 week deadline for delivery of gadgets Prof Seekoe spoke of) 

18 July: Online teaching and learning still has not commenced for many students.