BEGINNING SEMESTER
ONLINE, MORE DEADLY TO TRAINEES THAN NOVEL CORONA VIRUS.
DEAR STAKEHOLDERS,
Case of covid-19 shows no signs of decreasing now. Due to
this many educational institutions have no option than to resort to virtual
learning to replace the normal face to face lectures. And colleges of education
are no exception.
Following the circular from Institute of education
indicating the beginning of the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year
online, this information has brought mix-feelings among many trainees as many
are divided as to whether starting the semester online will yield success or
not.
The concerns of the collegians we believe must be acted upon
before this initiative kicks start.
Kick-starting the second semester of colleges of education
online is a grave decision looking back at what happened last academic year
when CETAG went on strike for a while and the semester was delayed. We should
be asking ourselves the success rate of face-to-face lectures. How high is it
that we want to employ online learning where students will have to learn from
the comfort of their homes without any motivation from their colleagues to challenge
them to learn?
Have we considered
those offering practical courses? How
are they going to carry out their practical? Or for the sake of online learning
those courses are irrelevant? What about
the special needs students? Any provisions made for them? And those in 3rd years, are they
going to continue the Teaching practice online? Or they will just wait when
things normalize, write their exams pass and go? Are we after grades or
professional development? And what
happens to our supported teaching in schools course?
A whole chuck of concerns is to be addressed
before making a concise and precise decision about starting semester online or
else the end result will be nothing good to write home about.
We further seek that results of the just ended semester be
released before commencing semester online but if the results can wait until
the pandemic is over then our concerns must be addressed before we roll out the
initiative.
Following a survey conducted using google forms, taking
concerns from trainees, as to whether the semester should start online or not
about 70% of trainees of a total of 2,728 students responded NO to the question
; should the semester begin online?. We also believe that some trainees were
not able to partake in this survey because of lack of devices which could
access the internet some responses also came late which we believe was a result
of poor network.
Engaging students
could be best but starting semester online now will be deadly to trainees more
than the novel corona virus.
We further acknowledge the good work by THE TEACHER TRAINEES
ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (TTAG) for their efforts so far and wish of them to stand
by trainees always so as to achieve the best.
The truth is, learning must halt until those issues are addressed
so as to facilitate a beneficial and successful exchange of knowledge. We
cannot afford to start the semester online and in subsequent months be begging
officers to increase the number of credit hours that would amount to
withdrawal. We must study under sound mind and we cannot do that at this
particular time. Let us halt the resumption of the semester and addressed the
core issues. What benefit is education when we are unhealthy and dead?
#Address the issues
to the benefits of all.
#or stop starting of
semester online now.
ISAAC COBBINAH (DE_GOVERNOR) EKISSI STANLEY EDEM
PEKI COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, PEKI ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE OF EDUCATION,
HOHOE.
LEVEL 200 LEVEL
200.
0547223036 0552253637/0573494192
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