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Surviving As a Private University in COVID-19 Era- The AIT Experience
The thought of the above adage is illustrated by the case of the private university sector in Ghana. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the survival of the universities in this sector, which employs thousands of Ghanaians, was heavily dependent on admission numbers and students’ ability to pay fees.
Worse yet, several of these universities were even struggling for students due to the dwindling number of international students coming to study in Ghana. To add insults to injury, they faced a fierce competition from their counterpart public universities who had expanded their respective distance education programmes in a bid to boost up their Internally Generated Funds in order to compensate for the drop in Government subventions to their institutions.
As if that was not enough for the already crippling private university sector, COVID-19 reared its ugly head raking in havoc of global proportions. The sector was hard hit where it actually hurt- right in the middle of the semester- when most students had not even paid their semester school fees.
Sad to say, several of these universities did not have the requisite technological systems in place to ensure the unabated continuance of the academic activities even in the midst of the crises.
The Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), an independent technology-focused research university based in Accra, Ghana employed a model, which has by far proven to be the surest way of survival in this pandemic and beyond.
The operations of AIT have continued uninterrupted despite the pandemic due to their strength in using technology to boost teaching and learning.
The university has a Learning Management System dubbed ‘LEMASS’ which is effectively utilized in the delivery of online teaching and learning modes for their students. One would wonder how AIT came by the exact systems needed to combat the challenges that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interestingly, these systems were not developed as a mere survival measure, as it were, for COVID-19 as in the case of several struggling universities. In fact, these technological systems cannot be developed in weeks or months to solve specific problem at a time.
Development of such systems and solutions takes years of dedication, discipline and commitment to arrive at a working system fit for the specific educational purpose.
The AIT success story of implementing technology in education predates COVID-19 back to 2009 when it was the only university in Ghana that had a system, which allowed students to submit assignments, access electronic library, partake in quizzes etc. Lecturers in the university could grade their work online and assess their students in whatever form using the same system.
Therefore, a ban on physical contact with students had zero impact on their operations since they were already using systems. All the university had to do was to deploy these systems with very few modifications due to the pandemic in order to better serve our students.
In an effort to eliminate any physical interaction between students and the faculty of AIT while still realizing the same outcomes of the teaching and learning experience, the institution deployed a clearly stated protocol to better streamline the entire online learning experience.
The AIT Protocol for the Delivery of the Online Teaching and Learning Program stipulates the five (5) different components of the process namely:
- Online (Asynchronous) Teaching and Learning
- Online (Synchronous) Class Sessions (OCS)
- Scheduled Online Interaction Sessions (OIS) with learners on pre-planned topics, issues) and/or general issues during Scheduled Online Office Hours of Instructor
- Scheduled Online Forum Sessions (FSO) with Instructor
- Online Feedback Sessions (OFBS) with Instructor
What would a student of this noble institution expect from this five-component Online Learning Process?
The Asynchronous online learning applies to the case where learners log-into say a learning management system/platform like LEMASS and/or other sources to access learning materials, resources and assignments earlier on posted or made available online on the platform by the instructor/lecturer in preparation for a scheduled Online(synchronous) Class Session(OCS).
This means that for each Online Lecture Topic (OLT) of the syllabus that a Instructor/lecturer intends to teach each week online, students would always expect the Instructor/lecturer to identify and direct them to relevant resources as a pre-reading and/or reference materials/resources to be accessed in preparation of the OCS and to refer to for revision after the OCS.
On the other hand, the Synchronous online learning or Online Synchronous Class Session (OCS) applies to instructor-to-learner and learner-to-learner learning interactions that are happening at the same time, – meaning in real-time via a teaching delivery system/platform (like GOOGLE CLASSROOM, ZOOM etc. depending on what students agree on with their lecturer) at a scheduled time on the university timetable to engage in the teaching (by the instructor) and the learning (by the learners) process.
Students would expect that the Instructor/lecturer would make available to them the lesson presentation (e.g. LSPs, prepared PowerPoint presentation, or other lesson notes) that he would be going through during the OCS at least 24 hours before the OCS so that they can go through before the session.
After every OCS, students would also expect on LEMASS, assignments/quizzes/tests on the OLT to examine their level of understanding of the course materials/notes presented during the OCS.
Each instructor is expected to schedule one Online Forum Session (OFS) per week on the OLT for that week. The OFSs are to be done using the facilities of LEMASS and/or any other prescribed platform by the university. The process is as follows:
- The Instructor post the initial issue/subject/statement relating to the OLT in question to be discussed on the forum and learners are to contribute to the forum following laid down guidelines.
- Participation in the forum is compulsory and would be graded as per the clearly stated guidelines in the Online Forum Grading Template developed by the university.
- Participation in the OFSs will take the place of attendance and participation as in face-to-face teaching accounting for 10% of the final grade of students.
Instructors delivering online courses at AIT are also expected to interact with learners online in between the scheduled Online (synchronous) Class Sessions (OCS) to check on how learners are coping with the course materials assigned to them in preparation for the next Online (synchronous) Class Session (OCS) and also to discuss specific topics or aspects of the course materials that learners find challenging.
This means for each registered course, students would expect Instructors to have at least 3 OISs per course per week with learners, and spend at least a ½ hour (30 minutes) per each session.
In addition to the Online Interaction Sessions (OIS) for the asynchronous and the synchronous delivery of the course (OLT-by-OLT), Instructors are also expected to engage in an Online Feedback Session (OFBS) with learners. This will include facilitating:
- Unscheduled one-on-one feedback session with students (if and when a student request for feedback on any aspect of the online learning process of the course in question or a particular OLT)
- General feedback to students on a given course you are teaching on assignments/test/exams, course-learning materials, lessons among others.
All these components combine to give the students the needed guidance that is unmatched by even a face-to-face interaction with their lecturers. Yes, when technology is used in education, risks are reduced, cost is managed, learning convenience is maximized and the risk physical contacts with its accompanying challenges are contained, if not eliminated.
However, it is rather sad that a university like Accra Institute of Technology, which has been preaching the use of technology for the past ten years has not received maximum support to train, educate and help other institutions to reach their optimum level.
It would be a big shame, if after surpassing this pandemic and surmounting its accompanying challenges, we resort to the old ways of doing things. All roads must now lead to AIT to learn how they have used technology to defeat the educational challenges emanating from the pandemic.
It is COVID-19 today, but we don’t know what will come tomorrow. There is, therefore, the need to relook at our educational delivery in this technological era. A good start would be to go the AIT way.
Patience Okala, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office has urged African countries to stop exporting raw materials and instead focus on adding value to its natural resources if it is to fully harness the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
She stated this on Thursday at the Streamsowers & Köhn 20th Anniversary Business Forum, where she stressed that value addition and beneficiation are essential to Africa’s industrialisation and long-term economic growth.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, she said the AfCFTA goes beyond the elimination of tariffs, serving as a framework for industrialisation, value addition, and job creation across the continent.
“AfCFTA is not only about tariffs; it is also about value addition. Africa has to stop exporting raw materials. We need to add value and ensure that beneficiation is done on the continent,” she said.
Okala also said Africa’s economic transformation would depend on the effective implementation of the AfCFTA rather than on the signing of trade agreements alone.
“We have moved beyond negotiations. The success of AfCFTA will be measured by the extent to which businesses can access new markets, trade seamlessly across borders, and benefit from the opportunities created by the agreement,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria had intensified efforts to implement the agreement under the leadership of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, including the development of simplified AfCFTA guides in six languages to help businesses understand and take advantage of opportunities under the trade pact.
Okala called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, and the private sector to eliminate barriers to trade and investment and build a truly integrated African market.
“As we move from policy to implementation, our collective responsibility is to ensure that the opportunities created by AfCFTA become practical realities for businesses, particularly MSMEs, women-owned enterprises, and young entrepreneurs across the continent,” she said.
Cisco is exploring artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions to support smallholder farmers in Nigeria, as part of efforts to expand digital inclusion and technology adoption.
The initiative focuses on improving agricultural productivity through accessible, data-driven tools.
The move aligns with growing collaboration between Nigeria and the United States under the Commercial and Investment Partnership, which prioritises the digital economy, agriculture and infrastructure.
Speaking at the 2026 World Business Chicago, Brian Tippens, chief social impact and inclusion Officer at Cisco, said the company is assessing practical AI applications to help farmers combine local knowledge with data insights.
He said Cisco is exploring tools such as AI-enabled WhatsApp communities, geospatial mapping and weather intelligence to support day-to-day farming decisions.
The approach reflects a shift towards low-cost, mobile-first solutions suited to rural environments.
Tippens added that the Cisco Foundation is investing in early-stage startups developing technologies for local agricultural challenges.
Industry analysts note that AI adoption in emerging markets depends on locally relevant solutions, rather than large-scale enterprise deployments alone.
Beyond agriculture, Cisco plans to expand digital skills development in Nigeria through programmes such as the Cisco Networking Academy’s One Million Learners initiative.
Tippens said the programme also supports partnerships with organisations working with persons with disabilities, including those developing tools for people with visual impairments.
He added that Cisco’s social impact strategy aims to improve access to technology and promote inclusion, including in conflict-affected regions such as Borno State.
Cisco’s initiatives form part of broader efforts to link digital skills, connectivity and AI adoption to economic development in Nigeria.
Federal Government has launched a nationwide Artificial Intelligence (AI) capacity-building programme for teachers in Federal Unity Colleges, with about 11,700 educators set to acquire digital skills aimed at improving classroom instruction and preparing students for a technology-driven future.
The initiative advanced with the signing of the Terms of Reference (ToR) between the Federal Ministry of Education and ICEDT Consult Limited, paving the way for the nationwide implementation of the AI Teacher Capacity Development Programme.
The programme, to be implemented through the ministry’s Education Support Services Department, is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise Nigeria’s education sector, strengthen teacher professionalism and equip students with skills required in the digital economy under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Director of the Education Support Services Department, Gabriel Amudipe, described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s teaching workforce and the future of education.
He said the nationwide rollout followed the successful completion of a pilot phase conducted in selected Federal Unity Colleges.
According to him, the implementation model developed by ICEDT Consult Limited will ensure effective coordination and quality delivery of the programme across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Amudipe urged officials responsible for monitoring the project to ensure strict compliance with the implementation guidelines and maintain the standards achieved during the pilot phase.
“The ministry remains committed to supporting innovative initiatives that strengthen teacher professionalism, improve learning outcomes and promote the responsible integration of emerging technologies into education,” he said.
Earlier, the Deputy Director of the Education Support Services Department, Oladele Fapohunda, described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to deepen digital innovation across Federal Unity Colleges.
He stressed that collaboration among all stakeholders would be essential to achieving the objectives of the initiative nationwide.
Also speaking, the Head of Strategic Partnerships and Learning Scientist at ICEDT Consult Limited, Dr Abdulrahman Orosanya, said the Federal Government approved the national rollout after the successful pilot implementation in six Federal Unity Colleges representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
According to Orosanya, the pilot demonstrated the potential of Artificial Intelligence to improve lesson planning, classroom delivery, assessment methods and teachers’ productivity.
He said the nationwide implementation would strengthen teachers’ digital competencies, improve instructional delivery and support the government’s vision of building a technology-driven education system capable of producing globally competitive graduates equipped with 21st-century skills.
The ceremony ended with the formal signing of the Terms of Reference by officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and ICEDT Consult Limited, signalling the commencement of preparations for full implementation across all Federal Unity Colleges.
The ministry said the programme would directly train about 11,700 teachers, while thousands of students across the country’s Federal Unity Colleges are expected to benefit through improved classroom instruction, increased digital innovation and the responsible application of Artificial Intelligence in teaching and learning.
It reaffirmed its commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to modernise Nigeria’s education system, improve teacher quality and deliver inclusive, equitable and future-ready education nationwide.
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