Virtual Teaching Standards: Lessons Ghana Can Use

ACTVET moved 17 public schools (7,921 students) plus 11 tertiary colleges (5,782 students) online with one day’s notice—and within 12 hours, about 90% of students were learning virtually. That wasn’t luck. It was systems, standards, and discipline.

For Ghana, this matters beyond “online classes.” It speaks directly to adwumafie ne nwomasua—how we keep learning and skills training going when schedules, campuses, or transport break down. And for technical and vocational education (TVET), where practical skills are the whole point, it raises a hard question: what would it take for Ghana to switch fast, keep quality high, and still train people for real work?

This post is part of our series “Sɛnea AI Reboa Adwumadie ne Dwumadie Wɔ Ghana”—focused on how AI and digital tools can make training faster, cheaper, and more consistent. The UAE case study offers a useful blueprint: standards first, tools second, and people always.

What ACTVET got right: speed came from preparation

ACTVET’s quick shift in March 2020 wasn’t only a response to crisis; it exposed what strong systems look like. Their leadership reflected on the switch and identified 10 practical enablers—from business continuity planning to teacher readiness and student wellbeing.

Here’s the simplest takeaway: Virtual learning doesn’t fail because of Zoom. It fails because expectations are unclear and support systems aren’t in place. ACTVET noticed that last part sharply: they didn’t have a standard at first, and teachers didn’t know what excellence looked like. So they created one—and used it for inspections.

Ghana has faced similar “short-notice realities” in education: disruptions from public health, funding delays, campus congestion, strikes, and even localised shocks like floods that affect attendance and access. If the goal is educational continuity, the best time to build standards is before the next disruption.

The Ghana parallel: continuity is a skills and jobs issue

When TVET pauses, apprenticeships slow down, certification timelines slip, and employers lose confidence in the pipeline. That’s not abstract—it hits jobs, productivity, and household income.

If we’re serious about “AI ne adwumafie ne nwomasua wɔ Ghana,” then continuity isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s part of national workforce stability.

The Virtual Teacher Standard: a practical checklist Ghana can copy

ACTVET’s Virtual Teacher Standard is built around 8 indicators that are surprisingly down-to-earth. No buzzwords. Just “what a good virtual teacher does.” Ghanaian schools, training centres, and even private apprenticeship programmes can adapt this as a minimum quality bar.

Below is what the standard implies—and how to translate it into Ghana’s context (including where AI tools fit naturally).

Indicator-by-indicator: how to apply the standard in Ghana (with AI)

1) Applications and connections: standardise the tool stack

ACTVET expects teachers to use multiple applications, connect by audio/video, use a whiteboard, use an LMS, and ensure technical support.

For Ghana, the win is choosing a small, realistic stack and training everyone on it. Most organisations get this wrong by allowing 12 different tools across 12 departments.

What to implement (minimum):

• One primary learning platform (LMS or class hub)
• One live teaching tool (video or audio-first)
• One shared whiteboard or annotation method
• One support channel (WhatsApp/phone helpdesk)

Where AI helps:

• Auto-generate lesson outlines and class slides from a syllabus
• Create quick “how-to” guides for students in simple English and local language versions
• Summarise class chat and produce action points after sessions

A useful rule: if a teacher can’t learn the tools in two afternoons, the stack is too complex.

2) Teacher professionalism: set expectations that protect trust

ACTVET includes dress, visibility/audibility, professional engagement, and confidentiality.

In Ghana, professionalism is also about boundaries and safeguarding—especially when learners join from home. Schools and centres should explicitly state:

• Whether cameras are required (and when they aren’t)
• How recordings are stored, who can access them, and for how long
• How teachers communicate with students outside class hours

Where AI helps:

• Draft clear policies (first draft in minutes, then reviewed by leadership)
• Flag risky content or privacy breaches in shared folders (basic monitoring)

3) Classwork preparation: make “before class” non-negotiable

ACTVET expects materials to be prepared and sent ahead, with sequencing and pacing.

This is where many online programmes collapse. Students log in, then spend 20 minutes waiting for “the file.” If Ghana wants quality virtual learning, we need a prep rhythm.

A simple operating rhythm for TVET modules:

1. Send materials 24 hours before class
2. Start class with a 5-minute recap
3. Teach in 15-minute blocks
4. End with a 10-minute skill check (quiz, photo upload, voice note)

Where AI helps:

• Create step-by-step practical worksheets from a competency list
• Convert long notes into short handouts and revision cards
• Produce low-stakes quizzes aligned to the exact lesson objective

4) Teacher pedagogy: learner-centred, paced, inclusive

ACTVET’s pedagogy indicator is about structure, responsiveness, high expectations, and inclusion.

For Ghana’s TVET, “learner-centred” should also mean job-centred. A welding student needs tasks that mirror workshop decisions. A catering student needs sequencing, hygiene checks, portion costing.

What works in practice:

• Teach one skill, then assign one evidence task
• Use peer review: students assess each other using a rubric
• Build “local context” examples (Ghanaian tools, materials, pricing)

Where AI helps:

• Generate rubrics for practical tasks (then tailor to your trade)
• Create scenario-based exercises (e.g., customer complaint handling, cost estimation)
• Translate instructions into simpler language for mixed-level cohorts

5) Virtual classroom management: manage groups, behaviour, and social time

ACTVET expects monitoring of subgroups, safe environment, differentiation, and appropriate socialisation.

One of ACTVET’s most human insights is this: students need social contact to avoid isolation. That matters in Ghana too—especially for young learners and first-time trainees.

A workable structure:

• Attendance + quick check-in
• Breakout groups by skill level (fast/steady/needs support)
• A short “chat time” segment built into the timetable

Where AI helps:

• Analyse attendance patterns and identify at-risk learners early
• Suggest grouping based on performance (not guesswork)
• Draft behaviour guidelines that are clear and enforceable

6) Virtual assessment: fair, valid, and feedback-driven

ACTVET highlights instruction before assessment, alignment to curriculum, fairness, feedback, and tracking.

Virtual assessment in Ghana often becomes “submit something” without strong integrity. For TVET, you can do better with a blended evidence approach:

• Short quiz for theory
• Photo/video evidence for practical work
• Oral explanation via voice note (“tell me why you did it this way”)

Where AI helps:

• Speed up marking with rubric-based feedback suggestions
• Generate personalised remediation tasks based on mistakes
• Track competency completion across units automatically

7) Professional development: keep teachers current

ACTVET expects currency in apps, reflection, research, and engagement.

If you want reliable virtual learning, teachers must practice before they perform. Ghanaian institutions should schedule:

• Monthly micro-training (60–90 minutes)
• Peer observation of virtual lessons
• A shared library of lesson templates per trade

Where AI helps:

• Create a teacher “prompt bank” for lesson planning and feedback
• Summarise training sessions into action checklists

8) Virtual online security: safety is part of quality

ACTVET includes passwords, risk assessment, health and safety mindfulness, and reporting.

Ghana’s reality includes shared devices, public Wi-Fi, and informal learning spaces. So the security baseline must be practical:

• Strong passwords and class access controls
• No public sharing of student phone numbers without consent
• Clear process for harassment or impersonation incidents

Where AI helps:

• Draft incident reporting templates
• Automate basic moderation and flagging in class forums

A Ghana-ready “Virtual Teaching Standard” starter kit (what to do next)

If you’re a school leader, training coordinator, or HR lead planning workforce training, here’s a clean implementation path I recommend.

Step 1: Write your minimum standard (one page)

Keep it short. Use ACTVET’s categories, but adapt language to your institution. Your one-page standard should answer:

• What tools must every class use?
• What does a prepared lesson look like?
• What evidence proves learning happened?
• How do we protect privacy and safety?

Step 2: Build a small “operation room” function

ACTVET noted they could run oversight from an operation room quickly. In Ghana this can be lean:

• A coordinator
• An IT support person (part-time is fine)
• A quality assurance lead (can be an experienced tutor)

Their job: troubleshoot, monitor quality, and keep classes consistent.

Step 3: Use AI where it saves time, not where it creates risk

AI should reduce busywork, not become another complicated project.

Start with:

• Lesson plans
• Rubrics
• Quiz drafting
• Student feedback templates

Hold off (until you’re ready) on:

• Fully automated grading
• High-stakes proctoring
• Any tool that stores sensitive learner data without clear controls

The goal is simple: more teacher time spent coaching skills, less time spent formatting documents.

People also ask (and the honest answers)

Can virtual teaching work for TVET in Ghana where practice matters?

Yes—if you treat virtual learning as guided practice with evidence, not just lectures. Combine short theory sessions with home-based practical tasks, workshop rotations, and strong rubrics.

What’s the biggest blocker: internet or teaching quality?

Both matter, but teaching quality breaks programmes faster. Even with modest connectivity, clear structure and good materials can carry learning.

Is AI required for this to work?

No. But AI helps you scale consistency—especially for lesson prep, assessment rubrics, and feedback—without burning out instructors.

Where Ghana can go from here

ACTVET’s story proves something practical: quality virtual teaching is teachable, measurable, and enforceable when standards are clear. Ghana doesn’t need to copy every tool the UAE used. We should copy the discipline: prepare, standardise, support teachers, and inspect for quality.

As we keep building this series on Sɛnea AI Reboa Adwumadie ne Dwumadie Wɔ Ghana, I’m taking a firm stance: if Ghana wants reliable skills training at scale, we must stop treating online learning as an emergency patch. It should be part of the system—especially for TVET and workforce upskilling.

If you had to move your training programme online in 12 hours, what would fail first: your tools, your materials, your assessments—or your standards?