An update on the resumption of classes in 2021
Lectures
As per the academic calendar, lectures are scheduled to start on 15 March 2021. Rikus Delport, Director of Institutional Advancement at the University of Pretoria, confirmed to PDBY that, “If the current lockdown level 3 remains, classes will resume online, while we are also considering introducing small classes on a rotational basis in keeping with the necessary health precautions. We will adjust our plans on an ongoing basis according to the prevailing risk adjusted levels”. Updates will be shared as they are made.
Returning to campus
As of date, under the level 3 regulations announced by the President on 28 December, only 66% of the students are able to be granted access to campus. This will strictly refer to students and staff contacted by their respective Deans of Faculties and Directors of Professional Service Departments who will then be allowed to return to campus and their respective residences. Researchers, postgraduate students and final-year students needing to work in research facilities will be granted access to campus to complete their respective activities where necessary.
Registration for the 2021 academic year, which is strictly online, has been open from 5 January 2021. Students are encouraged to make use of the online registration help desk at 012 – 420 5347 or send an email to registration@up.ac.za.
For first years, online registration is scheduled to commence from 1 March 2021. Online Applications to study in 2022 are scheduled to open on 1 May 2021.
First Year Orientation 2021
This year marks a historic first at UP whereby a pre-orientation ClickUP module has been devised that provisionally accepted students can currently access. This module comprises of a computer literacy crash course and an introduction on how to use ClickUP for first years.
Delport confirmed to PDBY that “First year students with no prior exposure to technology and technological tools will on registration be provided with the option to access UP computer labs where they will receive hands-on facilitation of the module by well-trained tutors before the institution wide orientation week starts”.
Delport explained that “during orientation [UP] will allow students to engage in the programme either completely online or on campus. We plan to support the students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds by encouraging them to use the labs on campus. These labs will have tutors to assist the students.” He added that “with the reduced number of students on campus we will still be able to ensure social distancing during orientation” for those who are on campus.
The current plans for lectures, campus return and orientation are devised under the level 3 lockdown regulations announced by the government and are subject to change or modification by UP should the national lockdown level be adjusted in due course.
Susanna is currently stu(dying) genetics and joined the PDBY team in 2019. She divides her time between writing and playing with plant disease samples. Her contributions span across Science, politics and all things spicy. If you are or were in the SRC, she’s probably spammed you with messages for a story. She’s got a memory like an elephant – so she probably keeps track of student promises. Picture not to scale.
