We have capacity to scale up online learning - Laweh Open University College tells govt

The Laweh Open University College says it has the experience and expertise to scale up online learning in the various universities and even second-cycle schools in the country.

It has, therefore, called on the government to explore a possible collaboration before looking internationally for help.

The President of the college, Prof. (Mrs) Goski Alabi, who made the call in an interview yesterday in reaction to the government’s decision to collaborate with the Open University UK in Accra, said the directive to move online was the way forward, adding, “We are already doing it locally”.

Collaboration

The Ministry of Education announced that Ghana was collaborating with the Open University UK to deploy a distance learning programme for all universities in the country.

The collaboration, which involves licensing content, technical assistance and capacity building, is in response to the expected huge numbers of the first batch of the Free SHS products who will pursue tertiary education in the 2020/21 academic year.

The Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who announced this at a press briefing in Accra last Tuesday, said the ministry had also started the implementation of virtual learning programmes to enable students to have access to learning resources while at home in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Looking locally

But Prof. (Mrs) Alabi said as “the first accredited open university in Ghana and the second in West Africa, the government should explore possible collaboration with us before looking internationally for help”.

“We need, as a country, to support local solutions and indigenous innovations and where necessary, add an international touch.

“At Laweh, we have tried and tested perfect virtual learning management system customised to suit our local needs and also one of the biggest e-Libraries on the continent with over 30,000 e-books locally developed, and this is currently in use,” she added.

Teaming up with government

Prof. Mrs Alabi said the college believed “we can team up with the government to embrace and support such systems for our local educational needs”.

She admitted that international solutions and collaborations were good but many a time, did not fit well into local context because they were not developed or tailored for that specific local environment.

“It must be noted that local challenges are peculiar and different and that is why we are still looking forward to possible collaboration with the government to put our systems, expertise and experiences at the disposal of the Ministry of Education for the good people of Ghana,” she stated.

She said the college had submitted a letter for collaboration to the Ministry of Education and believed very soon, further discussions to fashion a workable partnership would be initiated.

“We strongly believe that Laweh has what it takes for scaling up. We hope to have the opportunity to build confidence in Ghanaian ingenuity,” Prof. (Mrs) Alabi stated.

Statement

The management of the college said it was willing and ready to provide technological infrastructure support to tertiary institutions in the country to facilitate the provision of quality online and distance education to students through virtual platforms.

A statement signed and issued by Prof. (Mrs) Alabi explained that the initiative had become necessary in response to the directive by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to the Ministry of Education and tertiary education institutions to roll out distance learning programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.