Aspen donates 600 tablet devices worth R2.4m to university students

JOHANNESBURG – The University of Pretoria said on Wednesday its health sciences faculty had received a donation of 600 tablet devices worth R2.4 million from pharmaceutical company Aspen Pharmacare to facilitate access to online resources for students from poor backgrounds.

South African schools and universities have been closed since mid-March in an effort to avoid the spread of Covid-19 among students and staff, and remain so even after the government relaxed the rules of a nationwide lockdown on May 1.

Many institutions have adopted online learning, including virtual classes, in a bid to keep up with the 2020 academic calendar.

In a statement UP said the donation would ensure that students had access to their course material, enabling them to complete the 2020 academic year “so that no student is disadvantaged”.

To qualify for the free tablets, students must currently be registered with the university, attend classes regularly and provide evidence of being unable to purchase the devices themselves.