World Teachers’ Day: Place teachers at the heart of education recovery to restore quality education — COA

Child Online Africa (COA) has called on governments in the Wester African sub-region to place teachers at the heart of education to enhance the restoration of quality education.

It says the theme for this year’s celebration, “Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery” is most appropriate as teachers are the first point of call for many school-going children across Africa.

A statement signed by Awo Aidam Amenyah also urges governments to pursue a collaboration with Civil society and other stakeholders in policy formation to expedite the Educational recovery Process.

“We also call for an upscale of Information technology in schools and other Educational facilities to improve the efficacy of teaching and learning in these trying times, while emphasizing the need for more skills training and equipment of teachers to be conversant with the deployment of technological devices in their daily activities of teaching and learning,” it added.

The full statement has been published below:

05/10/2021

To All Media Houses

Press Release

Place ‘Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery’ to restore Quality Education.

Child Online Africa (COA) joins the rest of the world to celebrate teachers today. COA sees This year’s edition themed; ‘Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery’ as an appropriate reminder of the Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic stemming from prolonged nationwide shutdown of Educational facilities, causing disruptions in academic activities, hereby posing a risk to the holistic formation of children especially those in Ghana and Africa at large. When classroom learning resume, teachers ensured that COVID-19 protocols are adhered to for safe learning environment. Teachers were the first point of call when some learners showed symptoms of the virus infection.

This is because we see Education at the crossroads now where teachers should not be immersed in old-fashioned preparation programs that equip them to deliver primarily traditional stand-alone, text-based instruction in self-contained classrooms.

The situation calls for a concerted effort at bringing education back to life and the need to develop sustainable strategies which will aid countries around the world including countries in Africa to wiggle out of the conundrum in order to build back better.

Even though the UNESCO/ILO recommendation concerning the status of teacher do not make Specific reference to Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or globalization, the Recommendations broadly address issues relating to these (access to modern teaching, research and information resources, teaching methods, international exchange of information).

We urge governments to pursue a collaboration with Civil society and other stakeholders in policy formation to expedite the Educational recovery Process.

We also call for an upscale of Information technology in schools and other Educational facilities to improve the efficacy of teaching and learning in these trying times, while emphasizing the need for more skills training and equipment of teachers to be conversant with the deployment of technological devices in their daily activities of teaching and learning.

Signed

Awo Aidam Amenyah

Child Online Africa