Transformations in Higher Educational Institutions: A Review of the Post-COVID-19 Era

The COVID-19 epidemic was initially experienced in China, in a city called Wuhan (December 2019), and Europe, the USA and Australia were not left behind. South Africa was the worst-hit country, with a total of 88,914 deaths recorded on October 24, 2021, and like many other countries of the world, it suffered the loss of human lives and livelihoods. In 2021, almost 65,000 South Africans had been lost to the pandemic. This pandemic has destabilised systems and processes that define human existence, thereby wreaking havoc on many facets of human life, with education being predominantly affected. COVID-19 has fostered global readjustments in education with the advent of online teaching or, as referred to in some studies, emergency online education. This paper examined many of the challenges faced by students and lecturers, including adaptation problems among lecturers and students, internet connectivity issues, an unconducive teaching and learning workspace, and associated health risks. This study also reviewed positive developments that took place since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the WiSeUp Moodle Training, academic discourse, and capacity development. In addition, it is suggested that researchers carry out further studies on the effects of COVID-19 with reference to teaching and learning. The paper concludes by reviewing the positive and negative teaching and learning outcomes of the transformations that Higher Educational Institutions underwent after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

Analysis of Anthropogenic Impediments to African Forest Ecosystems Conservation: Case of Gambari Forest Ecosystem, Ibadan, Nigeria

Gambari Forest Reserve (GFR) is located in Oyo State, in the south-western region of Nigeria, in the Mamu locality (Gambari Forest), co-ordinate 3.7 and 3.9E” and latitude 7°26 1 N and longitude 3°5 1 E. i.e. 17 km South-East of Ibadan, along the Ibadan/Ijebu-Ode road. The major taxa studies for this research include the forest tree species forest ecosystem in Gambari Forest Reserve, such as: Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena glauca, Gliricidia sepium,Tectona grandis, Gmelina arborea, Swietenia macrophylla, Acacia spp., Albizia spp., Cassia siamea, and Pithecellobium saman. 200 key respondents participated in this study, which were drawn from the seven main communities namely Ibusogboro, Oloowa, Daley North and south, Onipe, Mamu, Olubi and Onipanu respectively. The results revealed that there are significant anthropogenic interventions taking place in the study area. It is therefore imperative to conserve and safeguard GFR ecosystem resources, as ensuring that ecosystem services and biodiversity function at optimum levels. This study therefore recommends continued research to be undertaken, in addition to consistent monitoring and conserving our fragile forest resources, with the aim of achieving optimum functioning and service delivery