Embrace virtual education - GRASAG GIMPA to students

The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Chapter of Graduate Students' Association of Ghana (GRASAG), has called on tertiary institutions and students to embrace e-learning education.

According to GRASAG GIMPA, this would expand access to education at an affordable cost and engage students who have been forced to sit home as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

"The flexibility of online delivery of lectures enables people to work and study simultaneously, thereby making degrees affordable and more manageable for the majority," President of GRASAG GIMPA, Mr. Raphael Apetorgbor said in a statement as Christendom observe the death of Jesus Christ; Easter.

"We believe that online teaching and learning is a possible solution to widen access to education at an affordable cost and bridges capacity gaps," the statement added.



He said the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought closer, possible changes to both academic and economic challenges across the globe, urging all and sundry to prepare to make sacrifices in order to reposition academic and economy activities.

Mr. Apetorgbor encouraged Ghanaians to promote the virtues of good brotherliness, peace, tolerance and be united as the world seeks God's protection against the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed thousands of lives and collapsed businesses worldwide.

He further called for ideas that would support the government to improve on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Apetorgbor reminded the citizenry to follow expert advice by practising social distancing and washing hands regularly to break the chain of transmitting the virus.

Below is the full statement:

We the Graduate Students' Association of Ghana (GRASAG), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Chapter greet all students and the people of Ghana.

This week we celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ, the teacher from Galilee, whose death and resurrection we celebrate as Easter.

The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." -Matthew 20:28.

Easter is a period of renewal, change, growth and covenants kept. We hope you renew yourselves in hope, strength in God and have faith that this Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic will be over soon.

This year's celebration of Easter is taking place at a time that the country and the rest of the world have had to deal with a very difficult pandemic that has a negative effect on our academics and economy and has caused the death of thousands of people worldwide.

We must, therefore, be prepared and willing to make sacrifices to reposition our academic and economy.

We urge you all to remember in your prayers, friends and family who lost their lives or businesses and those who are hospitalised owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Easter period has also come at a time our educational institutions have suspended classroom teaching and learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in more virtual teaching and learning.

Let us seize the opportunity and take advantage of online teaching and learning and adapt to it. Virtual teaching and learning is the wave of the future - the advantages are beyond the coronavirus.

We further believe online teaching and learning is a possible solution to widen access to education at an affordable cost and bridges capacity gaps.

The flexibility of online delivery enables people to work and study simultaneously, thereby making degrees more affordable and more manageable for a greater range of students.

We are therefore calling on tertiary institutions to brace up and embrace e-learning. It could help institutions get more students and extend the frontiers of learning to people who would ordinarily not have been able to attend.

Let us all use this occasion as yet another opportunity for promoting the virtues of good brotherliness, peace, harmony and tolerance. Let us stand firmly together in common humanity as we ask for the good Lord's continued protection and blessings.

Finally, we call for ideas that will help the government improve its response to this pandemic and encourage all to keep practising social distancing and wash their hands regularly following expert advice.

We wish you all happy Easter celebrations.

Aluta Continua!

Long Live GRASAG GIMPA!

Long Live Student Solidarity!!

Long Live Ghana!!!

ISSUED IN ACCRA, SATURDAY 11th APRIL,2020

SIGNED:

(RAPHAEL APETORGBOR)

PRESIDENT - GRASAG GIMPA

Iddrisu Jara