By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Dec. 14, GNA -Mr Bryan Acheampong, Member of Parliament of Abetifi Constituency, has called on stakeholders in tertiary education to play a significant role in enhancing quality education in these times, known as the ‘New Normal.’
He said this ‘New Normal’ required that the status quo had to change in the way Private Tertiary Education was being delivered.
Mr Acheampong was speaking at the 20th graduation ceremony of the Methodist University College in Accra.
In all, 733 students were awarded their degrees, diplomas, and certificates at various levels from four faculties made up of 525 Undergraduates and 208 Postgraduates.
He said Private Universities must adapt to an unprecedented challenge and rapidly transition from traditional face-to-face instruction to a blend of brick-and-mortar teaching and distance learning formats through virtual classrooms.
“While most campuses have trained faculty to ensure quality and maintenance of the curriculum through virtual classrooms, less consideration has been given to training students who face equal challenges in adapting to this abrupt change in the delivery of the curriculum,” he added.
Mr Acheampong said few approaches had been developed for students to facilitate their involuntary transition to virtual classrooms and maintenance of appropriate online learning behaviours and etiquette.
He said, indeed one will think that in the 21st Century, an era where data and knowledge abounds Covid would not be an issue, well we all know what happened.
Mr Acheampong said the 21st Century Private University meant utilizing all the relevant tools and technology to impart knowledge to students so that they would be able to live, Innovate and prosper in today’s world.
The MP said stakeholders of Private Universities could address this challenge by initiating a meaningful dialogue between faculty and students in a bid to cope.
He said these Universities should also adapt to the new normal, this may prove useful in re-envisioning and re-designing future curricula and facilitating future discussions on creating best practice guidelines for asynchronous/synchronous virtual classrooms post-pandemic.
He said lecturers in this new age must understand that teaching had moved away from the pre-pandemic ways of interacting with students into a learner-centred environment.
Additionally, the proliferation of technological devices means learners can do a lot more on their own without the direct supervision of the lecturer.
“The new age instructor must therefore exhibit traits that are unique and admirable and those that make academia attractive,” he added.
He said lecturers must exhibit a very appreciable knowledge of the use of information technology and IT-savvy teachers promote a positive environment where students find learning enjoyable.
The MP said an IT-savvy lecturer provided access to a variety of educational resources that inspire creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration in their students.
He urged the government to consider assisting private universities in whatever form so that they would have a solid ground to be able to continue training the needed manpower the country needs.
“There is no doubt that private universities play a significant role in our nation’s development and a little assistance by the government will contribute to promoting quality education within the tertiary space in Ghana,” he added.
Very Rev. Professor John David Kwamena Ekem, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Methodist University Ghana, said the University received accreditation to commence a BSc Nursing programme at the Wenchi campus.
He said the University also applied to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission as well as the Nurses and Midwifery Council to extend the same programme to the Dansoman and Tema campuses.
He said the University had the approval to run the BSc Nursing Programme on the Wenchi, Dansoman and Tema campuses.
The Acting Vice Chancellor said the University was awaiting final approval from the Commission to mount other programmes.
He said in a move to make the mission of the University a reality and to internationalise the University, plans were put in place to forge collaborations with the Kenya Methodist University, Venda University, South Africa, St. Paul’s University, Limuru, Kenya, Institut de Formation CEFAT-Inter, Abidjan, and Institut Universitaire d’ Ábidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
He said the move was aimed at migrating the University from a Monolingual to a Bilingual Tertiary Institution in the sub-region, taking cognizance of the needs of our international students from francophone countries.
The Acting Vice Chancellor said a Language Centre to facilitate the teaching of English and other languages was initiated.
“This is in tandem with my Vision of guiding the University to brand as The People’s Multi-Lingual University and a Centre of Distinction within the sub-region,” he added.
He said the University had signed an MoU with the International University of Applied Sciences based in Berlin, Germany, and the International Energy Training Centre, based in Lagos, Nigeria to run joint programmes in Cyber Security, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Industrial Engineering & International Management.
GNA