On July 30th, 2020, a group of students joined Columbia Global Centers | Tunis and Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi in their virtual discussion around the theme “The Pandemic, Distance Learning, and You.” The event started with a warm welcome from Pauline Muthoni, Program Manager at CGC | Nairobi, and a brief presentation on the current COVID-19 situation in New York City, Nairobi, and Tunis as well as the new ICE policy for F-1 and M-1 visa students.
The conversation started with a discussion about the implications of the ICE policy for current students and the political trend in the U.S. Although academic institutions across the country responded timely, there was still lingering anxiety among incoming students and recent graduates.
In response to the question of how COVID-19 would change higher education, many participants pointed out the social inequalities that unraveled in the past few months through distance learning, namely access to resources, job security, and mental health. The event ended with our students urging colleges and universities in the U.S. to include less privileged voices in their decision-making process: resuming a sense of normalcy, while would help some students, would harm others.
This event, “The Pandemic, Distance Learning, and You,” is part of a series of round table discussions to discuss topics that are relevant to current events. Throughout this series, Columbia Global Centers | Tunis and Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi invite students in the region to join in on discussions about the pandemic, climate change, and much more. This platform is run by students, moderated by students, and a platform for students to openly share their opinions and ideas.
