A slow return to normal and hope for winning the COVID-19 fight

Muhanyi Nkoronko is an independent researcher, educationist and social policy analyst. He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania specializing in Educational Management and Policy. As universities in Tanzania reopen, he shares the impact of COVID-19 on his research progress.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact to my academic journey, social life, economic and even political life as a student. As a researcher, my research work has been affected because previously I was well within my timeline to present my research proposal to my supervisors and receive constructive feedback from them. However, all that was put on hold because, due to COVID-19, our university was closed.

We had a scheduled physical meeting for the peer review of our research proposals and academic papers for publication as a team with my fellow colleagues. While the university was closed we engaged in active deliberations on the diminishing possibilities to meet, because we were supposed to remain home and maintain social distance. It is through online sessions that we can interact, give feedback and encourage each other to continue with our research proposals and papers for publications.

In order to utilise more time during this period, I spent a lot of time studying online courses especially those which will bring positive changes to my research skills. In addition, I took special time to read and crosscheck different articles and other publications, which equips me with new insight to my research and papers for publication.

Time passes. Now we have opened our university and things are resuming to normal although with great health precautions. Regular classes have started and peer reviews have resumed so now we are able to share our papers and encourage each other.

Different countries around the globe are fighting against COVID-19 and it has been observed that the rate of spreading is minimising and many people with Coronavirus are recovering and they are returning to their homes. This gives me hope that we will also win.

Let us join hands to fight together; it is everyone’s participation that will truly make a difference. The fight unites us all regardless of whether you are rich or poor, young or old, black or white, a believer or non-believer. Let us follow health guidelines, prevent it from reaching you, practice what is needed, and protect others, so that we will win against COVID-19.

COVID-19 is not the only disease we see; the world had experience fighting with other pandemic diseases such as SARS and Ebola. We will overcome this virus, we hope this pandemic will end soon for all of us to get back to our normal life. Although it’s been mostly hard for us, these trying times present us an opportunity to improve ourselves and prepare for better opportunities in the post-pandemic season.

Be safe and stay alive.

Muhanyi Nkoronko tweets as @MuhanyiSenior and can be found on ORCID: 000-0002-3905-8934