The Principal of Jackson College of Education, Mrs. Theodosia Jackson is advocating a deliberate state policy aimed at investing in e-learning infrastructure to incorporate distance learning in Ghana’s education system beyond COVID-19.

She said, the coronavirus pandemic has brought to the fore, the urgent need to pay attention to e-learning as a country to complement the existing face-to-face system of interaction in order not to curtail academic work during such national crisis.

“We must make distance learning an integral part of our education system at all levels post COVID-19. This will ensure easy access to tuition through virtual classes in the event of any unforeseen circumstances in future”, Mrs. Jackson suggested in an interview with the media.

She added that the global pandemic may have adversely impacted health systems and economies across the world, but it also presents a fine opportunity for developing countries to adopt innovative strategies to accelerate their development.

The Ministry of Education, she noted, must build on the numerous innovative ways it has adopted to reach out to students who are currently staying home due to the outbreak of the coronavirus to make e-learning more conversant with students across the country.

She further suggested to the Ministry to develop a comprehensive e-learning concept and gradually integrate it into the mainstream education system to facilitate easy interaction between teachers and students even outside school hours.

In order to achieve this, Mrs. Jackson holds the view that Information Communication Technology (ICT) education at the basic level must be strengthened to make pupils abreast with the e-learning concept as they journey along the academic ladder.

She therefore called for well-resourced computer laboratories in all basic and second cycle schools, especially those in rural communities to bridge the gap between the rural and urban schools in terms of access to computers.

The renowned educationist also proposed a national education policy direction which must not be tampered by any political party in government but strictly serve as a guide in the implementation of our educational aspirations.

She implored government to take steps to reward all the people who have invented various products to fight the virus and further support them to produce on large scale to improve the economy.