As Liberia embraces the use of technological advancement in its learning system, the President of Cuttington University Dr. Romelle Horton has cited the need for youth of Liberia to improve in reading, writing, comprehension and critical thinking.
Speaking Over the weekend at Mwetana Schoollink Annual Educational Conference (SAEC) 2024, Dr. Horton said parents, guardians and teachers must ensure that all students read and write correctly.
Highlighting the theme for this year’s SAEC, “DIGITAL Drumbeats: Empowering Academic Communities With Schoolink,” the Cuttington President said technology is not just about posting as Liberians know it to be; it is far from that because just a cellphone in one’s hand is a passport to the entire world.
Dr. Horton said the future leaders of Liberia must learn how to read, write and think critically. “I do not want anyone to ask me, ‘do you works here,” she said in a rather hysterical voice. She said Liberians should stop abbreviating words, adding that even people who should know better are found in the act while writing professionally.
Dr. Horton said Liberians must use technology for its good benefits, but not see it as a way to escape personal learning or build critical thinking. According to her, education is literally about human connection and aims at a stronger relationship between teachers and students.
Dr. Horton called on youth to take advantage of their cellphones as a learning tool, and should not only be used for facebook, TickTock, among other social media platforms. Meanwhile, she lauded Mwetana for its Schoollink program, a home-based digital tool made and used by Liberians, making education more organized and efficient.
“As we embrace digital tools, we must ensure that no student is left behind, and there is a need to embrace teachers in the technology sector,” she said.
Dr. Horton said the Covid pandemic was a blessing in some ways for Liberia, because it propelled the country to cross the digital divide, saying, digital transformation involves understanding data and critical thinking She said the Government of Liberia, school boards and educational institutions must establish clear guidelines for implementing digital tools in the classroom.
For his part, Karl R. Smith, Mwetana Chief Technology Officer said they are managing about 11 of the 16 universities in the country accounting for about 75%, plus several high schools across the nation.
He said in the coming months, the entity will open study classes for high school students to access books and do research both on and offline using the platform. According to him, Mwetana has established an advanced payment gateway ensuring that students pay their tuition in an easier way and without any delay, white automating students’ attendance at both universities and high schools.
Smith said their system has developed a platform where parents can access their children’s grade sheets, report cards and receipts. “For the past nine years we have been working, our system has not been hacked and that is by the help of cyber security,” he said, stating that user experience is a key factor for Mwetana.
