Reopening of schools could largely have beneficial effects with a Phased Approach Interspersed with Virtual Engagement

1.           The risk of harm in reopening schools could be lessened by a strategy of phased approach interspersed with virtual engagement. A phased approach will steer schools to comply with COVID-19 curbing-the-spread protocols including social distancing, avoidance of large crowds and adept management of spatial interactions; and virtual engagement will ensure simultaneous learning for the stay at home cohort of students and teachers during a specified period. In the immediate term, schools cannot operate like in the pre-pandemic era without placing students and teachers in harms way which necessitates the incorporation of seamless virtual platforms with potential impact on access, quality and outcome of education in the long term. The catch here is that the public online platforms available are overtly centralized, elitist and limited.

2.           Beyond the Ghana Learning TV, iCampusgh.com and whatever portals and Webinars provided by the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC) etc, the country needs Virtual Learning Centers (VLC) in every district. VLCs can easily be built and operate as area networks to comprise organized ebrary of learning, teaching, instructional and reading materials of all schools in the districts. This trove of information would be grounded on multipurpose open online materials which can also be used to facilitate other sector activities in health and trade for example.  Students from each school in the district with tablets (and not smart phones) can access such customized virtual spaces and interact with respective teachers for scheduled curriculum instructions, assignments, assessments, examinations, grading etc.

3.           Within a phased framework, schools will allow specific class cohorts to resume physical congregation given types of space and facilities available, and what the science of COVID-19 spread indicates regarding the age groups of high vulnerability. The small size population on campus can be monitored by assigned health monitors for adherence to hygienic protocols, and intervene in case of sickness or infections to be rapidly isolated and treated.  Meanwhile the cohorts of students at home are scheduled to attend and participate in class virtually either synchronously or asynchronously depending on the availability of infrastructure.

 4.          A phased approach interspersed with virtual engagement obviates space and access challenges which beget double tracking in public schools and now made more complicated by a pandemic. Self-motivation, self-learning, entrepreneurial do it yourself (diy) values and mentality are inculcated in children through the virtual engagement arrangement. One ultimate outcome of such intertwined training and learning level-playing field measures would be a nation filled with self-reliant products ready to embark on various information and communications technology (ICT)-enabled ventures.

5.           The crux of the matter is prior investments in ICT infrastructure are required to reap the benefits of a phased approach interspersed with virtual engagement scheme, and the country is ill-prepared in this regard. This means that even if schools could reopen under a measure of phased interventions, they would be without the complementary virtual engagements necessary to counteract the immediate threats and essential for transforming education in the country. For more information on ICT for Education, visit (www.anani-afelenetwork.org)

May 27, 2020