Cadets at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron, Akwa Ibom are making a good use of the times as they still attend classes and take their lectures via virtual resources.
For that development at the Academy, the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) is both excited and proud of the effort by the Academy geared at engaging the cadets productively even while the social distancing occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic lasts.
“I must say that the master mariners are proud of this initiative by the Rector of the Academy, Commodore Emmanuel Effedua (Rtd), to keep the cadets active on their learning curriculum.
“ I had the opportunity of being a part of the lectures on Ballast Water Management, another on AIS as well as one on Chart Symbols,” President of the NAMM, Capt. Tajudeen Alao, said in a chat.
Other mariners on the NAMM platform also sent commendations to the management, academic and non-academic staff of the Academy for keeping close and working with the Rector to achieve remarkable goals in spite of the lockdown.
Capt. Alao said that the new experience would give even the cadets a good sense of understanding of the kind of focus and commitment required to train and be trained as a mariner.
He said: “Beyond learning through this mode, the effort establishes something important to the cadets, that being in a maritime academy for training demands focus and commitment from all parties. The cadets will appreciate this for a long time in their careers.”
The Academy runs about six lectures simultaneously, the Rector explained in a separate chat.
“Students are able to move into their various classes according to their disciplines. The lecturers are all available and they simply work with the existing scheme of work,” the Rector said.
The virtual learning has been seamless because every cadet has a personal laptop, courtesy of the Academy.
“Of course, the process of having the students learn with virtual resources was made easy by the fact that the cadets already have laptops given free of charge by the Academy. Then, the ICT department is also on hand to help with explaining process, should anyone have challenges,” the Rector explained.
The Academy would continue with the virtual learning for the period everyone remains at home.
