80 UON law students move to court to challenge online classes.

80 Law students from the University of Nairobi have moved to court to challenge the decision by the institution to conduct online classes and exams due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In their suit, the students are petitioning the court for orders to stop the institution from carrying on with online classes and administration of examinations.

According to the petition, the students claim that the decision to commence online learning did not consider some of the students who reside in remote areas, and have no access to a reliable internet connection therefore missing out on classes.

“The decision to commence the online classes was arrived at without a consideration of the petitioners’ peculiar situations as some of the petitioners are in remote areas therefore are not able to access reliable internet or online services,” they argued.

The students also argued that they chose UON for its experienced staff and facilities, and hence the reason they enrolled for a physical-class-based program and not online or distance learning.

They have also challenged the fees that they are paying for the online classes, saying it should be at a reduced price of 50 per cent.

“The online program has no access to face to face consultation with the lecturers, has limited access to the library and access to physical based program facilities that it is only fair that the fees is reduced,” the students argued.

Majority of learning institutions have adopted the online learning model due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, as one of the measures to curb human interactions which accelerate the virus spread.