COVID-19: Achimota School confident of boosting digital teaching and learning with new IT equipment

Ghana’s educational sector was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. The closure of schools particularly in the rural areas may seriously affect enrollment. READ MORE: OAA 97 year group embarks on ICT Infrastructure and e-Learning Project on Achimota School Campus Headmistress of Achimota School, Ms. Marjorie Affenyi, expressing the same sentiment, has said the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic did not spare the school just like any other school across the country.

Speaking at the Kick-off of the legacy project at Achimota School by the 1997 Year Group of the Old Achimotan Association (OAA) as part of their 25th-anniversary, Ms Affenyi said ”You will agree with me that, the COVID-19 pandemic which has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide has not only presented an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems, the world of work but has as well had a devastating effect on education. Ghana and Achimota School for that matter is no exception. Knowing the contribution of Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools to high-quality lessons and its potential to increasing students’ motivation, connecting them to many information resources and the support it gives to active in-class and out-class learning environment is important.” She added that ”Moving forward, it will be an understatement to say that Achimota school needs to be digitally aligned to the modern approach to teaching and learning that befits her status.

The OAA 97 group has launched an ICT infrastructure and E-learning project which is termed ‘FTTX’ Deployment on Achimota School Campus. The aim of the project is to revolutionize teaching and learning in the school and in the country as well and to equip the students to be competent to manage the world in the era of fast-changing pandemic ravage.

This the headmistress said cannot come at a better time than they currently find themselves. “I am happy with the progress of work because I am fully aware of work in all fronts; the internet infrastructure which is about to take off, website development is almost done, teacher capacity building preliminary training engagement has started and requirements to access the Google classroom teaching tools is in motion.” In expressing how elated she was, Ms. Affenyi said the Legacy Project is dear to the heart of management of the school and promised the readiness of the school to support the executives and members of OAA’97 in executing the project in record time. In March 2020, Ghana closed schools in the wake of rising COVID-19 infections across the country. Approximately 9.2 million learners from Kindergarten to High School and about 500,000 tertiary learners were affected until schools re opened in mid-January, according to a report by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). READ MORE: Stop watching telenovelas – Bagbin advises Ghanaian women However, the prolonged absence of teaching and learning activities in a structured setting disrupted the academic calendar and affected the gains made in education. Globally, ICT is regarded as a dependable vehicle for facilitating educational reform and development, a platform for communication, and as a means to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4); ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. Present at the launch was Prof. Ernest Aryeetey (OAA President), Dr. Mary Ashun (Legacy Project Patron and Principal of the Ghana International School), Kwame Nkrumah Botsio (OAA ’97 President ), Richard Adiase (Project Contractor and OAA ’97 member), Stephen Kemetse(OAA ’97 Legacy Project Chairman) and other dignitaries.