COVID-19: Why E-learning programme for SHS students should begin now

Understanding E-learning is simple. E-learning is learning utilizing electronic technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional classroom.

Many organizations and institutions are using E-learning because it can be as effective as traditional training at a lower cost.

Developing e-learning is more expensive than preparing classroom materials and training the trainers.

There is a need for the government to digitise educational content for students because it saves cost and makes learning easier and effective for students.

Due to the deadly coronavirus, a number of schools in the country have had to postpone teaching until further notice.

The current coronavirus pandemic is likely to lead to a fundamental restructuring of the global economy.

The decision to shift to online classes has come under a lot of criticism. Some argue that students should be promoted without studying or evaluation.

Others complain about the quality of the courses and connectivity challenges faced by students from remote areas.

Now, Senior High School students are expected to visit online to study all core subjects for free amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Ministry of Education created an online study platform for all senior high school students.

E-learning reaches a wider target audience by engaging learners who have difficulty attending conventional classroom training because they are:

• geographically dispersed with limited time and/or resources to travel
• busy with work or family commitments which do not allow them to attend courses on specific dates with a fixed schedule
• located in conflict and post-conflict areas and restricted in their mobility because of security reasons
• limited from participating in classroom sessions because of cultural or religious beliefs
• facing difficulties with real-time communication

In January this year, an electronic learning (E-learning) programme aimed at encouraging students in second cycle institutions to explore e-learning options to augment the traditional classroom and textbook learning was outdoored.

The initiative would see about 500,000 SHS students across the country getting access to e-learning materials but the question one may ask, HOW EFFECTIVE HAS THAT BEEN?

There have been many studies showing that E-learning students retain the material to a significantly greater degree than face-to-face instructor-led classes.

The content delivery is consistent and can be easily repeated if needed to gain a better understanding.

The students can get torn easily. Digitisation of learning materials would save us a lot of money as a country.

It makes it easier to preserve and update.

Ghana needs to digitise its educational content if it wants to get ahead as a people.