Discussions towards distance learning programmes has begun – Ministry of Education PRO

The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education, Ekow Vincent Assafuah has stated that the ministry is in talks with the Ministry of Communication to come up with the best approach in rolling out a distance learning programme for students during the coronavirus crises.

This comes after the president directed for all schools, from the basic to tertiary levels, to close down indefinitely after the country recorded six cases of the coronavirus pandemic.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in his address to the nation on March 15, 2020, noted that the two ministries had been tasked to roll out distance learning programmes so students can keep on learning while at home.

But according to the PRO of the Ministry of Education, the two ministries are still in the phase of discussions and are yet to officially meet on the matter.

“Discussions have already started, and it’s not going to be one meeting. It’s going to be series of meetings and consultations so as and when there is a conclusion … then we will be able to do with it,” Ekow Vincent told GhanaWeb in an interview.

He also stated that his department can only give out details of the programme when they receive information on how it will be rolled out.

“Until those modalities are communicated to the Public Relations team of the Ministry of Education, we are unable to pinpoint specifically as to how it is supposed to be done. But what we are setting off is the fact that the technical directorate of the two ministries are going to meet … until then, we can only wait and be hopeful,” he said.

Mr. Assafuah however urged authorities of all schools across the country to follow the order given by the government by ensuring that all students go home to their families.

“As we speak it is only first years and second years who are under compulsion to go home and this directive should be adhered by every headmaster/mistress across the country … It is only the form threes that are supposed to be in school,” he concluded.