Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, has emphasised the importance of preparing for online teaching and learning. He said Rhodes University staff should not view the 21-day national lockdown period (27 March to 17 April 2020) as a vacation, but to use these days responsibly to prepare for online teaching and learning methods for when the university reopens on 20 April 2020.

Our plans for online teaching and learning are progressing well, notwithstanding the challenges of venturing into an untested and unfamiliar terrain.

In the past few weeks you have received several communications as we work to address the challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of this is exploring alternative forms of teaching and learning, including online teaching and learning commencing 20 April.

Rhodes University has turned to its alumni, business and members of the public for help to mobilise resources to ensure successful completion of the 2020 academic year.

This plan emanates from intense engagement with, amongst others, the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, the Registrar and Faculty Deans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also shared with the Student Representative Council.

Our preparations to migrate to remote/online teaching and learning delivery are moving ahead. The Orientation Programme has gone well and some of the teething challenges are being attended to. The Orientation Programme will continue for the whole of next week.

Rhodes University has entered into agreements with the mobile carriers Vodacom, MTN and Cell C to provide data bundles for our students who are clients of those carriers. Engagements are also underway with Telkom Mobile around a similar agreement.

We would like to thank all of you for your patience whilst we worked tirelessly to explore various forms of remote/online teaching and learning to ensure that the academic project continues during this period of the Covid-19 pandemic. We thank all staff who have been at the forefront of planning for remote/online teaching and learning. We also thank all essential services staff who have been at work for the past six weeks. We are pleased to share the progress we have made to date.

Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, today expressed 'deep gratitude’ to the institution’s donors who have been providing raw materials for the sanitiser production initiative.

As we commence the second semester on Monday 3 August, we are forced to look back with gratitude at what we have achieved during the first semester albeit under very difficult and stressful national lockdown conditions.