Let's take advantage of opportunities from COVID-19 to advance education - Prof. Sakyi-Baidoo

He contended that the impact of COVID-19 on education has presented both negative and positive outcomes with equal values and standards for all living things in the world irrespective of their geographical location to explore, but it appears Ghanaians are the least in utilizing the gains to make an impact in the education sector.

Prof. Yaw Sakyi-Baidoo, therefore, charges all Ghanaians to take advantage of the learning opportunities that have been revealed to the world as a result of the emergence of the covid-19 pandemic to advance the education sector.

“If you ask me about the impact of COVID-19 on education, I will say it has given us problems which we have learnt from, the same way it makes us see opportunities that we could have in the world of learning so that we can stay everywhere and do all things out of the opportunities it has unveiled to us”.

“Let us, therefore, utilize the same standards to do things so that the world can be the same big world, effective world that we all want it to be”.

The revered University Professor was speaking at a ceremony which marks the 9th awards and the 6th graduation ceremony of seventeen (17) International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme students (IBDP2) from the Morgan International Community School on the theme: “Impact of the pandemic on International Education”.

The colorful ceremony took place at the school’s main campus auditorium at Gomoa Manso in the Central Region on Saturday, June 4, 2022.

The pandemic has had an enormous impact on education at every level all over the world. This was characterized by school which has brought significant disruptions to education across Europe and in many African countries.

At the peak of the pandemic, 45 countries in the Europe and Central Asia region closed their schools, affecting 185 million students. Given the abruptness of the situation, teachers and administrations were unprepared for this transition and were forced to build emergency remote learning systems almost immediately.

One of the limitations of emergency remote learning is the lack of personal interaction between teacher and student. With broadcasts, this is simply not possible. However several countries showed initiative by using other methods to improve remote educational experience, including social media, email, telephone, and even the post office.

Reflecting on the impact of covid-19 on education, Prof. Yaw Sakyi-Baidoo believes the impact which came in both bad and good ways has really thought us lessons that we must never be forgotten including the opportunities we must forever embrace to turn the educational fortunes around.

He holds the view that if Ghanaians are able to take advantage of the technological tools available such as the social media, email, and telephone among others, used during the era of the pandemic for good, this could go a long way to help revolutionize Ghana’s education sector and keep it at par with the international world.

For his part, the Head of School for International Programmes at Morgan International Community School (MICS), Richard Laryea was optimistic that the graduands have been formidably molded for the challenges ahead and are destined to creditably perform in their various fields of study which they have been admitted to both in and outside Ghana.

“It makes me feel fulfilled that the outcomes that we want have been epitomized in these 17 kids. As you saw, they have been granted scholarships to their universities of choice in the UK, US, Canada, and even in Ghana so it’s time when all the hard work that we put in, in terms of teaching and extra-curricular activities have all come together to produce these beautiful results”.

While commending the graduands for the victory, he revealed that the expectation of the school was to see every student who passed out go and hold up the flag of the school high in terms of the scholarships they have benefited from coupled with the high educational standards available to them which automatically positioned them as critical thinkers to be high performers in class.

“Again in communities, we expect them to be compassionate enough to be able to effect change. Like for instance, they see lawlessness, corruption and indifference, they should be able to intervene because these are things we didn’t teach them but they picked it up by the virtue of being in MICS so we expect that they go to their various communities, around the world, around planet Earth and make a change”.

Mad. Cecilia Adzo Wofefor, Head of National Programmes at MICS in an interview advised parents and guardians to endeavor to commit their resources towards proper upkeep of their wards educational needs to guarantee a brighter future for them.

Citing the commitment of some parents towards their wards who are beneficiaries of the government’s Free Senior High School (SHS) education program as an example, she said that "Even the free SHS, parents who take time for their ward, buy them books, math sets including other educational materials, you’ll find that their children do better in schools than others".

The event was climaxed with the presentation of the IBDP 2 certificates of merit to the distinguished young graduates but the thrill of the moment was when Ama Baduwa Baidoo was crowned as the best graduating student of the year 2022 (IBDP 2).

Other awards recipients include Grace Ahadjie, Best IBDP 1 student for 2022, Papa Kwesi Amoo, Most Innovative student, Kristal Abena Boakye, Best IGCSE student, 2021, Adwoa Boakye Dankwa, Best Grade 10 student, Miss Phyllis Koomson, Best Marketing Parent, 2022 and Yaa Agyeiwaah Ofori, the Novennial of MICS (Being in the School for the past 9 years).

For the Best Grade 7 category, Sonia Inkum was adjudged the winner whiles Most Improved Grade student goes to Emmanuel Annan.

MICS is one of the privately-owned outstanding and most vibrant international schools well-versed in the development of leadership and entrepreneurship skills of students in Ghana. It was established in 2013 to provide the highest quality of educational service to its students and nurture the highest level of innovation from the youngest age in children.

At MICS, children are more challenged to think and act independently. Subsequently, the school offers students the required platform to engage themselves in creative and innovative thinking without omitting logical, critical, critical, and philosophical thinking required in everyday activities.

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