Did Management Lie?
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| DANGAATA |
In what now appear as ‘’cheap political talk’’ from the school’s management, it has now become apparent that DECEPTION has migrated from partisan politics to academia.
In a letter dated 7th April, 2020, exactly a month today, the management of Ghana Institute of Journalism under a certificate of urgency instructed students using AirtelTigo to update their portals with phone numbers from the said telco for provision of data to aid their online learning.
The decision came as a result of countless complaints from students about expensive data cost they had to bear in order to participate in the online classes. As a student, I am a first-hand witness to the suffering my colleagues and I go through to remain students in the online lectures. It's not a joke, the amount of data used in staying on Zoom for hours and downloading documentaries for academic work.
I saw the expression of joy and relief from students from the various platforms, even though the proposed intervention was supposed to cover a fraction of the student populace. Other students who didn’t have AirtelTigo SIM cards risked the pandemic out there to go and purchase some, in order to benefit from the ‘kind gesture’. We were all jubilant.
It’s been four weeks since, and not a single word from management. Not a kilobyte of data was provided a single student, and neither has there been any explanation as to what is causing the delay. As the leading communication school in not only Ghana but West Africa (I dare say!), timely and effective communication should not be a part of our many challenges. It should be one of the things we must pride ourselves with, in flexing our muscles as an institution just as other Universities do with their area of specialization.
Now, the hopes of students are dashed. We are currently at sea, as to what to expect and when from management, as exams approach. Our faith in the management continue to wane. And for the four long week since the release of the referenced letter, we have no idea what is going on. We continue to live with the debilitating challenges that we're bedevilled with, and the unbearable cost of data in addition. Meanwhile, our colleagues from Universities of Ghana and Cape Coast, as well as Ashesi were supported with various amounts of data to support their E-Learning as the country battle to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. They all started online studies after GIJ.
What could've been the reason why nothing is seemingly done to alleviate the suffering of GIJ students?
Is it lack of proper planning or the whole online thingy was probably a rash?
Could it be the case of incompetence or sheer insensitivity or perhaps lack of empathy to the suffering of students?
After all, this doesn't affect the management in any way. Neither does it threaten their finances or peace and security. It is students' problem, so 'they' must deal with it. Who cares?
We are in a revision week, as examination is approaching speedily. Bearing all conditions and instructions; will students of GIJ also get to enjoy some relief, or it’s going to be business as usual?
Does anyone care about the emotional and psychological turmoil that these challenges have students' and the effects on their mental health?
As it is generally said, "these are questions for the gods!!"
My mouth has fallen!!!
Dangaata°
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