The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has hinted at plans to launch the Ghana virtual high school, which will allow students to enrol and complete high school online.
He stated that high schools would also use virtual high school instructions and resources to improve teaching and learning in their classrooms.
The Minister made the remark on Monday at Accra’s 2nd National Distance Learning Conference.
The Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling (CENDLOS) organised the event in collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the World Bank Group.
It was titled “Reimagining Education: A Call for Multi-Stakeholder Coordination and Action for Equitable Access to Digital and Distance Learning in Africa.”
Dr. Adutwum believes that digital learning is a critical leapfrog strategy that can change Africa’s fortunes, particularly in the educational sector.
The Minister expressed confidence in the African child’s ability, saying that if given the chance, the African child would blossom beyond expectations.
Mr. Adutwum stated that the government intends to use digital technology to more than double science enrollment in Ghana next year.
He praised CENDLOS for its commitment to digital and distance learning in the country and urged stakeholders to help them carry out their mandate.
The theme of the Conference, according to Nana Gvamfi Adwabour, Executive Director of CENDLOS, called for inclusive dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders to prevent duplication and redundancy in the education sector.
He stated that the inaugural conference produced fruitful outcomes, the most important of which was the development of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy.
The Executive Director stated that connectivity was one of the issues impeding the operation of digital and distance learning and urged telecommunication companies and other stakeholders to assist.
According to Dr. Eric Nansah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, incorporating ICT into education improves learning outcomes and the overall education system.
He added that distance learning had become a lifeline for many, ensuring that education continued despite adversity.
“Teachers can engage with learners regardless of distance and gain access to training opportunities to improve themselves.” “ICT also improves the teacher-parent relationship, and parents can monitor their children’s learning progress,” he said.
CENDLOS is in charge of regulating, controlling, and advising online education and open schooling. It makes learning accessible, flexible, and affordable to all by utilising cutting-edge technology in open, distance, and electronic learning.
It aims to improve access to education for all by combining the current educational system with innovative ICT solutions and ensuring quality education at all levels.
It employs audio-visual lessons as supplementary and complementary teaching and learning materials at the pre-tertiary level.