VET-Ecosystem Project trains educators to champion digital learning

The Maastricht School of Management (MSM) in the Netherlands has organised a three-day capacity-building programme in Ghana to equip lecturers, ICT officers, and departmental heads with skills for blended learning.

The programme forms part of the Ghana–EU Erasmus+ EDU 2023 CB-VET project, which seeks to strengthen institutional capacity in digital education.

It introduces participants to practical tools and strategies for online learning implementation, covering organizational planning, teaching methods, technology integration, and legal considerations.

Speaking at the programme, the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources underscored the urgent need for higher education institutions in Ghana to embrace digital transformation.

“This digital learning training of trainers (ToT) is very critical. We are getting to a stage where we can’t do without digital learning,” he noted.

“Universities face restrictions on tuition increases and cannot hire more staff. The only way we can manage is to adopt blended learning. It has cost and accessibility advantages, and we must take this seriously.”

He further urged participants to fully commit to the programme, stressing the importance of leadership in ensuring its success.

 “You must take this programme very seriously, because your students, once they have mobile phones, can access anything. The challenge is not with the students, but with us, the educators and leaders. This programme has come at the right time. My advice is for you to put in all the effort to learn so you can implement it effectively in your institutions,” he stressed.

The project lead, Dr. Shaibu Ishak, also highlighted the significance of the initiative in addressing the gaps exposed by COVID-19. He explained that after this training, the “key online learning project team” is expected to be equipped with the essential knowledge to initiate online learning implementation from the organizational, didactical, and ICT infrastructure perspectives.

Sandra Adriaansens,  lead facilitator for the programme, commended the participants’ preparation and enthusiasm. “I am very much looking forward to this journey. The preparation here has been excellent, and I believe this will be a strong foundation for introducing online learning. You will not only learn but also guide your students through their own online journey,” she said.

The training sessions were hosted at the Kwadaso Agricultural College.