Coronavirus: Varsity students in UAE stay put at hostels as learning goes online

On-campus residents in the UAE hostels are busy adapting to social distancing norms. Physical classes have been suspended at universities and schools across the country as a precautionary measure against the spread of Covid-19 and learning has gone online.

While many students have stayed home after the spring break, others who remain on board are adeptly adjusting to the new schedules.

Kazakh national Kamiliya Bekmukhambetova, who got a scholarship to pursue her Bachelors in IT from Amity University Dubai, is one among the 12 girls left in her hostel.

As the government stepped up efforts to combat the virus, many of her fellow residents vacated to return to their home countries. But Kamiliya decided to stay on.

"I discussed the situation with my parents over the phone. At that time in Kazakhstan the government was already putting overseas passengers under quarantine. So, my parents advised me to stay back. I knew I would be comfortable staying in my hostel and pursuing my classes online," said the 19-year-old.

Although alone all day long, she mostly remains busy with eLearning classes, home assignments and project submissions. Later she calls home, writes blog, participates in online book clubs and even engages with on-campus gardening. "I am doing a programme called 'Connect With Nature', and our campus has been facilitating this. So, I and a couple of others grow carrots, beans and radish, and this has also ensured enough home-grown produce for students living in the hostel."

Between multiple tasks, Kamiliya also manages to squeeze time to order her online grocery supplies.

Similarly, Irteqa Awais, who is a third-year architecture student in Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dubai, was earlier sharing a triple occupancy room. But with universities complying with physical distancing measures, all remaining students have been moved to individual rooms with attached bath.

"All students are following hygiene protocols with masks and gloves. The institute has also installed sanitiser dispensers on all five floors. Although we hardly meet each other, when we bump into another person in the corridor, we make it a point to interact from a distance," he said.

"In the dining area not more than 10 people are allowed at a time. Even there, we are strictly adhering to social distancing practices. We are supposed to be sitting far away from each other. Meals are also coming from outside," addedAwais.

Reema Agarwal, SP Jain's Dubai campus student, feels interconnected from her hostel room, despite avoiding meeting her classmates and teachers. "Learning is one aspect of this 'new' situation but even the non-teaching support staff like cleaners are also doing their best. They regularly wipe surfaces like elevator buttons and door handles, clean floors and even the shower handles in the bathrooms are cleaned with disinfectants."

Shedding light on the do's and don'ts during this period, university heads have also beefed up measures. Speaking to Khaleej Times, Amity University Dubai pro vice-chancellor Dr N Ramachandran said: "We had to close the gym, pool and sports hall to ensure that students are kept safe. A few guidelines have been implemented, such asno visitors/guests on campus, avoid visiting of friends in other rooms. We are consistently checking up on students that remain in our care."

nandini@khaleejtimes.com