University says teaching and learning will be online until after Christmas

NUI Galway is to limit face-to-face teaching to  essential activities, such as lab work and research, until at the end of the semester. File picture

NUI Galway has become the first university to tell its students that the vast majority of teaching and learning will remain online until after Christmas. 

Face-to-face teaching will be limited to essential activities, such as lab work and research, until at the end of the semester. The university's library will remain open but with restrictions in place to limit congregation.

Students and staff have also been asked to prioritise testing for Covid-19 ahead of their study or work obligations, with students to be excused from any lectures to attend. 

NUIG, like all Irish higher education institutions, was advised at the end of September to limit the non-essential face-to-face teaching it had planned for at least two weeks. 

Level three sees these restrictions extended nationally until October 27, at least. 

Students who wish to leave university accommodation will be refunded by NUIG, students were also told. However, students who rented from private operators may face difficulties in accessing refunds. 

That's according to Pádraic Toomey, NUIG student union president. "We need Government to step up a little bit to help students who are facing losing out.”

Overall, he welcomed the announcement. "I think students were just calling for some kind of clarity around what the rest of the semester would look like.” 

“The limbo [around restrictions] is probably the worst bit, being told ‘oh, it’s two weeks and then we’ll see, now it’s three weeks and then we’ll see’. That way people don’t know if they should stay or go.”

Meanwhile, Siptu has called for all third-level tuition to remain online until after Christmas as both staff and students are under pressure dealing with Covid restrictions in ‘two to three-week blocks’.

Uncertainty is leading to “excessive stress levels” among staff who have already endured an extremely tense summer preparing for the academic year, according to Karl Byrne, organiser with the Siptu education sector.

"Before the announcement on Monday, the enhanced protections were up a review on Friday. We've had last-minute announcements the whole way through. 

"We need firm commitments so that people can make plans. We can no longer just deal with this in two to three-week blocks." 

It is understood that the various student unions are considering all implications of a potential moving to remote learning for the remainder of the semester, which is not believed to be a ‘clear-cut’ decision. Issues around isolation, accommodation, student supports are currently being discussed.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Further and Higher Education said the gradual reopening of facilities will be guided by the public health advice. It will be kept under constant review, she added.