PESHAWAR: Student groups of different universities on Monday rejected online classes over a lack of access to Internet in parts of the province and warned that they would stage street protests if the Higher Education Commission didn’t withdraw the online education decision.

They also demanded an immediate end to the lockdown and reopening of universities.

Accompanied by Mansoor Zeb of the Agriculture University, Khurshid Khan of Islamia College University and Sadar Khan Yousufzai of Engineering University, Peshawar University Pakhtun Students Federation general secretary Malik Hasnain told reporters that the holding of online classes were not feasible in the province.

He said the government should withdraw the decision of online classes and examinations in the ‘larger interest of students’ and if that didn’t happen, students, including women, would take to the streets.

Mr Hasnain urged the government to immediately allow the reopening of universities across the province for regular classes under standard operating procedures.

Complain of Internet issue in parts of province

He said the students knew the gravity of the pandemic, so they promised to strictly follow SOPs on campus to contain the spread of the virus.

The student leader said most students won’t be able to attend online classes and exams due to a lack of access to Internet.

“Very few students have access to Internet. Also, Internet service disrupts not only in remote areas of the province but also in urban areas including Peshawar,” he said.

Mr Hasnain said first the prolonged militancy caused irreparable loss to students and now, the coronavirus pandemic was playing havoc with their future.

“We can no longer afford the closure of universities,” he said.

He also said many students were unable to pay fee due the financial problems suffered by their families due to the lockdown.

The student leader demanded of the government to waive semester fee of such students.

UOP ONLINE CLASSES: The University of Peshawar has begun online classes for its students, who were sent home in the middle of March following the campus closure due to coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, the University of Peshawar said it would provide recorded courses to the students from tribal districts, who complained about Internet issue.

It said the university teachers were engaged in content development for online courses.

“The start of online classes will save the time of students, who have been stuck at home due to coronavirus outbreak since April and May.

“The courses for the relevant departments have been uploaded on the university website for students,” it said.

The university said live, PowerPoint online courses had been recorded for the students of tribal districts.

It said it had formed special committees under the supervision of the vice-chancellor to review and monitor online classes.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2020