E-learning: The jostle of the ordinary Ghanaian student

E-learning has amassed a great deal of popularity in recent ambience of COVID-19. Most educational institutions all over the world have embraced this form of learning with its embedded Learning Management Systems (LMS) as a conciliatory gesture to augment the conventional approach to teaching and learning.

As a follow-up to the nationwide address by his Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana on Sunday, March 15, 2020, universities across the country announced the following directives:

1. The closure of universities to students from Monday, March 16, 2020 till further notice.

2. However, staff members are expected to be at post to render critical services to keep the universities running by giving strict adherence to the precautionary measures set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ministry of Health (MoH) and the universities.

3. Universities will consequently roll out their academic programmes online through Learning Management Systems (LMS).

In view of the above preposition on Learning Management System as the major avenue for teaching and learning, the National Council for Tertiary Education and management of the various universities
should give Ghanaian students a vivid clarification on the 10 modalities listed below;

1. How students with gagdets which do not support online tuition, data ,assessment etc. could participate in the E-learning initiative.

2. Orientation for users on the e-learning platform.

3. How students who have not paid their tuition Fees in full (Due to the delay in STLF disbursement) access these online platforms.

4. Flexibility of response modules.

5. The assessment plan for both continuing and final year students.

6. Authentication and Certification of final year students.

7. Verification, admission and integration of new applicants unto the LMS

8. How students with disability within the various tertiary institutions could access LMS.

9. The welfare plans for students in terms of data allocation.

10. Proactive measures to accommodate the excesses of the e-learning initiative.

As the secretary for Societies and Welfare of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), I put it to the NCTE and the management of the various universities to re-strategise if they don't have the capacity to carefully meet the teething requirements of the above listed modalities, the e-learning initiative must be put on a hold with immediate effect to relieve the ordinary Ghanaian student of unnecessary stress especially as they jostle with the sharp claws of COVID-19.

Richard Bosomtwi
NUGS Secretary for Societies and Welfare
0249861709
atobosomtwi90@gmail.com