UniSIM student: Can I pay just half of the school fees?

By Braden Bradenee

Can we stop the half self-study half go to class style of learning? It is seriously damn stupid to many students yet we can't do a thing about this. Ever since the e-learning/self learning curriculum was introduced, my GPA has been dropping.


We all pay school fees to go to school to learn. If classroom lessons are conducted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and self study lessons conducted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, can I pay just half of the school fees?


Physical classroom lessons were cut by half and you give us the reason that it is better because we can study online whenever we desire. Bear in mind most of us are part timers pursuing studies after a whole day of stressful work. If no class is held that day we would prefer to take the time to rest. Study? Perhaps... even if we do attend lessons, we are quite confused and blur about what is being taught for most of the times. It is hard for the facilitator to teach as well as for us to understand what the teacher is talking about. You could investigate if this is true.


You might think that we have no discipline to make sure that we delicate our time to go online to learn. But think about this. We are poor students in the world's most expensive city to live in. We need to slog our asses off to feed ourselves. We are humans. We will be tired after work. I myself have been looking at the computer screen at work day in and out. After work I still need to go online and continue with e-learning? I seriously cannot keep myself awake. Speaking about weekends, some of us have to work too. Can you at least allow me one day a week to relax and be with my family without having to feel guilty about not studying?


A typical week comprises 2-3 lessons held on campus including u-Core. 1 lesson lasts about 3 hours. I need to work full time from Mondays to Fridays and after work I usually reach home at 8pm; thereafter I need to eat, shower and sleep. There simply isn't sufficient time for online lessons. While Sunday is designated family day, I have to do online lessons for 2 lessons (lasting 6 hours in other words) straight. Workable? yes, but hectic.


A suggestion. You could conduct all 6 lessons as usual including the online e-learning. It will be so much better if we all go for class from the very first lesson so we are able to connect and learn with greater ease. In a classroom environment it is harder for us to fall asleep compared to looking at the computer screen. There is social interaction, which is far better for learning. We will force ourselves to attend classes. If we really have to skip lessons due to other commitments, the onus is then on us to do online learning to get up-to-speed.


Please do not save costs on hiring lesser facilitators to conduct fewer number of lessons. I need to learn!


This first appeared as a response on the UniSIM's Facebook wall. Do join in the discussion over there if you have thoughts to share.


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