Two Teacher Trainees have questioned the possibility of having an online education for the second semester for Colleges of Education amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The trainees argued that beginning the Second Semester for Colleges of Education online was deadlier than COVID-19.
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BEGINNING SEMESTER ONLINE, MORE DEADLY TO TRAINEES THAN NOVEL CORONA VIRUS.
DEAR STAKEHOLDERS,
Case of COVID-19 shows no signs of decreasing now. Due to this many educational institutions have no option than to resort to virtual learning to replace the normal face to face lectures. And colleges of education are no exception.
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Following the circular from Institute of education indicating the beginning of the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year online, this information has brought mix-feelings among many trainees as many are divided as to whether starting the semester online will yield success or not.
The concerns of the collegians we believe must be acted upon before this initiative kicks to start.
Kick-starting the second semester of colleges of education online is a grave decision looking back at what happened last academic year when CETAG went on strike for a while and the semester was delayed.
We should be asking ourselves about the success rate of face-to-face lectures. How high is it that we want to employ online learning where students will have to learn from the comfort of their homes without any motivation from their colleagues to challenge them to learn?
Have we considered those offering practical courses? How are they going to carry out their practical? Or for the sake of online learning, those courses are irrelevant? What about the special needs students? Any provisions made for them?
And those in 3rd years, are they going to continue the Teaching practice online? Or they will just wait when things normalize, write their exams pass and go? Are we after grades or professional development?
And what happens to our supported teaching in schools course? A whole chunk of concerns is to be addressed before making a concise and precise decision about starting semester online or else the end result will be nothing good to write home about.
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We further seek that results of the just ended semester be released before commencing semester online but if the results can wait until the pandemic is over then our concerns must be addressed before we roll out the initiative.
Following a survey conducted using google forms, taking concerns from trainees, as to whether the semester should start online or not about 70% of trainees of a total of 2165 students responded NO to the question; should the semester begin online?.
We also believe that some trainees were not able to partake in this survey because of lack of devices which could access the internet some responses also came late which we believe was a result of poor network.
Engaging students could be best but starting semester online now will be deadly to trainees more than the novel coronavirus.
We further acknowledge the good work by THE TEACHER TRAINEES ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (TTAG) for their efforts so far and wish of them to stand by trainees always so as to achieve the best.
The truth is, learning must halt until those issues are addressed so as to facilitate a beneficial and successful exchange of knowledge. We cannot afford to start the semester online and in subsequent months be begging officers to increase the number of credit hours that would amount to withdrawal.
We must study under sound mind and we cannot do that at this particular time. Let us halt the resumption of the semester and addressed the core issues. What benefit is education when we are unhealthy and dead?
##Address the issues to the benefits of all.
##or stop starting of semester online now.
ISAAC COBBINAH (DE_GOVERNOR)
PEKI COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, PEKI
0547223036
EKISSI STANLEY EDEM
ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, HOHOE.
LEVEL 200 LEVEL 200. 0552253637/0573494192
Source: EducationGhana.net
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