By Godfred A. Polkuu, GNA
Sumbrungu (U/E), March 4, GNA –As part of measures to improve Information and Communications Technology (ICT) education, stakeholders in the Upper East and North East Regions have called on government to lay special fiber optic cables in schools in the two Regions.
They noted that internet connectivity being critical to ICT and as the backbone of transformation of knowledge and practice, was poor, and in some cases non-existent in schools from the basic to the tertiary level.
They said poor internet connectivity was a unique challenge to the two Regions, and added that “We in the North East and Upper East regions want special fiber optic cables be laid for us by the State, we will be happy.”
The stakeholders made the call at the National Zonal Education Forum for the Upper East and North East Regions held at the Bolgatanga Technical University on the theme: “Transforming education for a sustainable future.”
The stakeholders, drawn from the two Regions, included leadership from various teacher unions, heads of educational institutions, traditional rulers, the clergy, Directors of Education, parents, students, among others.
The forum offered them the opportunity to discuss and make contributions on critical issues of concern including education financing, infrastructure, data, governance, regulations, and accountability, among others for a National Education Policy.
According to the stakeholders their emphasis for request for the fiber optic cables for the two Regions be given a priority and insisted that “We want this well registered in the policy.”
They said with fiber optic support, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and all the levels of Information Technology (IT) education expected to be taught by schools from the basic to the tertiary level would be delivered.
To ensure quality education, the stakeholders called on the government to review the distance and sandwich education programmes in universities.
They explained that the distance and sandwich programmes affected quality education, as some teachers who undertook such programmes did not undergo rigorous training as compared to those who pursued full-time programmes.
“Sandwich and distance programmes affect training because some of those people who go through distance and sandwich programmes are not taken through rigorous training like those who go to pursue a full-time programme.
“If there is a way government can review the sandwich and distance programmes so that there could be more emphasizes on training, and if possible, check how the training is done, so that it would not be like people are just passing through to pass their exams to come and teach,” they said.
The stakeholders also advocated periodic review of the education curriculum to ensure that more integration was made to reflect current trends with emphasis on AI and STEM education.
They stressed the need for government to have long-term funding plan for the education sector, saying “We think that government needs to have a long-term plan as far as funding is concerned for our educational sector.”
Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, a Member of the National Education Forum Planning Committee, said after the nationwide forum, the Committee would collate the views of stakeholders across the country, and validate them for a national education policy framework for Ghana.
GNA