By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
The Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, taking into account the COVID-19 related concerns, has suspended its academic activities for a couple of days, starting from September 17.
The main campus, housed in the premises of the University of Karachi, as well as the city campus, located in the Garden area, will remain open for operational matters throughout this period, however. They will continue providing the normal facilities.
The IBA Academic Board has decided that all classes for the various undergraduate degree programs would be based on flexible learning system for the time being.
“Flexible learning system is where the classes would be conducted online while all IBA facilities would remain open and available to the undergraduate students including the classrooms. However, the Graduate programs students will attend the classes on campus,” it was announced.
As part of the Flexible Learning System, it was also decided that attendance policy would be relaxed for the time being and situation would be monitored and policies may evolve over time. The hostel residents would be recommended to stay since assessments including the final examinations would be held physically.
It was also decided to further increase the COVID-19 testing of the students, staff and faculty and enhance our SOPs to ensure the well-being and safety of the IBA community.
The IBA, in coordination with District Health Office, has carried out hundreds of COVID-19 PCR tests for students, staff and faculty since September 14. Before the commencement of the session, detailed guidelines under the government directives were formulated and disseminated to students, staff and faculty.
As a precautionary measure, isolation rooms at both the campuses and boys and girls hostels have been designated for individuals exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
