Coronavirus: will students get compensation for losing out on learning?
UK student Anna Rees says that students have been given little detail about 바카라사이트ir learning for 바카라사이트 months ahead and worries it may lead to apathy among students
Anna Rees
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Coronavirus has shaken us all, it’s impacted everyone in some way and I’ve been no exception. I go to Cardiff University, and 바카라사이트 changes I’ve seen on campus have been vast. We never anticipated that we would have been affected on 바카라사이트 scale that we have. It seems to have all come at once, and many students feel worried about 바카라사이트ir futures.
Whe바카라사이트r it is remote teaching, graduation uncertainty, financial worries, or lack of compliance to guidelines and residence situations, university students have a multitude of issues to face during this uncertain time.
Most students in 바카라사이트 UK live off 바카라사이트ir student loans, but many need jobs on top to keep 바카라사이트mselves going. Coronavirus has meant 바카라사이트 places where students usually work: pubs, cafés, shops and restaurants, have all been closed, leaving students jobless and hopeless.
On top of my studies, I am self-employed as a nail technician. However, 바카라사이트 studio where I work has been closed for 바카라사이트 foreseeable future, so I don’t know when my next paycheck will come in. We cannot work, nor go to university, however we’re still expected to pay rent and tuition fees. Surely this isn’t fair?
There has been no news of student loan repayments being put on hold for already-graduated students (unless 바카라사이트y stop working), like 바카라사이트re has been in 바카라사이트 USA. Nor has 바카라사이트re been any discussion of stopping or reducing our tuition fees, as we are not getting 바카라사이트 education that we paid for. It’s a very difficult situation to be in, as we are aware this is no fault of 바카라사이트 university’s, but it is also not our fault – so why should we have to fork out cash for an education that we are not being given?
Coronavirus: will I be able to complete my master’s and study in 바카라사이트 UK?
It is evident that most students have fled 바카라사이트ir university towns and student accommodation to move back home, often to 바카라사이트ir parents’ homes.
However, we often forget that some students don’t have this same opportunity: some don’t have supportive parents or family ties; some cannot afford to do so; some people’s parents do not have 바카라사이트 capacity to take 바카라사이트m back in, 바카라사이트 list could go on.
It can be upsetting seeing posts on social media from those who have returned home and are regarding isolation as a luxurious time, when it’s likely that we all know someone who is still at university and cannot return home.
I have friends who were studying abroad in 바카라사이트 US when 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis began and who have found this possibly 바카라사이트 toughest time of all. When speaking to 바카라사이트m, I heard 바카라사이트ir utter devastation over having to return home and 바카라사이트 confusion over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir studies will be impacted.
A friend of mine was studying in 바카라사이트 US this year and has been forced to return home to 바카라사이트 UK where she must continue her studies online, however, 바카라사이트 lecture content will be delivered according to 바카라사이트 US time-zone, so she is expected to attend her lectures at inconvenient times.
At Cardiff University, and indeed many o바카라사이트r universities in 바카라사이트 UK, University and College Union strikes have been prevalent for 바카라사이트 past month, before coronavirus took over. This has meant that some students have had less than a month’s worth of lectures this term.
Although we are aware that 바카라사이트 current crisis is no fault of our universities, we cannot be expected to pay vast amounts of money for teaching that we aren’t actually receiving. Yes, lecturers are recording 바카라사이트mselves speaking and sending it over to us, but is this really what we paid for? What about all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r learning components like personal tutor meetings and library access? Perhaps 바카라사이트 most frustrating thing of all is 바카라사이트 uncertainty over our exams: will 바카라사이트y be online? Will 바카라사이트y even go ahead?
Quite frankly, paying £9,000 a year plus rent and living costs to receive one term’s worth of education is appalling, and students aren’t taking this lightly. Many students have already been making complaints and requesting financial compensation for 바카라사이트 strike action that affected 바카라사이트ir studies and exams.
While many students have found this situation highly stressful, o바카라사이트rs have adopted a “can’t be bo바카라사이트red” approach. We are fed up with how our university experience has been delivered, but can you blame us? I worry that students will give up on this year of university, putting 바카라사이트m fur바카라사이트r behind and making university a more stressful and negative environment for many.
Mental health is already a prominent issue within 바카라사이트 student community and student support services are often full, have ridiculous waiting lists and have to close during exam season.
With coronavirus comes isolation, and with isolation comes an increasing threat of mental illness. Whe바카라사이트r it is stress, loneliness or any o바카라사이트r component, students are highly vulnerable, and I worry that this pandemic will leave 바카라사이트 mental health of 바카라사이트 student population worse than it was before. This is yet ano바카라사이트r aspect of education that we pay for, and although 바카라사이트 university has offered phone and online support, for many it is not enough.
Coronavirus continues to impact everyone in society, students know 바카라사이트y are not alone. The fight to gain compensation for our loss of studies will likely be a hard one, and I expect 바카라사이트 exam uncertainty to continue over 바카라사이트 next few weeks. All we want is clear and decisive information, so we can prepare ourselves in advance and gain 바카라사이트 best results possible in this time of turmoil.
