The Vice President, Dr. Mahamadou Bawumia has today launched a 'One Teacher One Laptop' project at the St. Mary's Senior High School in Accra.
According to him, the project is an initiative of the government with support from the various teacher unions in the country aims at providing all teachers in public schools each with a laptop.
Thinknewsonline.com has gathered that about 320,000 teachers will be benefitting from the initiative that will see each provided with a TM 1 laptop.
As part of the arrangement, government is expected to bear 70per cent of the cost of the machine while beneficiary teacher will bear the remaining 30per cent.
Launching the project, Dr Bawumia said "The initiative was in line with the government’s overall digitalisation agenda"
The Vice President disclosed that the ICT in this era cannot be sidelined hence the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service joining forces to provide the laptops for teachers.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Bawumia said "All the relevant and common educational resource materials should be uploaded into the system, including recorded lessons, revision materials and Chief examiners reports for easy access. There is also a package known as Educat where you have a store of ebooks and other learning materials which can be easily accessed on the laptop,” Veep Bawumia also explained that although the teachers might enjoy a bigger benefit, he is confident that the students will not be left out.
He said "I expect dividends such as improved research for teachers, enhanced lesson plans, better analysis of students performance and new opportunities for boosted digital skills,” Dr. Bawumia hinted that it is the Akufo-Addo government’s vision to see to the full implementation of the project likewise its benefits for national development.
“I count on the National Inspectorate Board to assist with inspecting outcomes following this huge investment by government,” he said. On his part, the Minister of Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum thanked Dr. Bawumia for taking time of his busy schedules to grace the occasion.
The Minister revealed that the provision of one laptop to a teacher will help boost teaching in various schools.
“Teachers are going to get the opportunity to begin to practice what we have been preaching about for a long time. A teacher who is equipped with the requisite ICT tools to embark on teaching duties in the 21st Century,” the Education Minister stressed. The Director-General of Ghana Education Service (GES) Prof Kwasi Opoku Amankwah praised expressed GetFund for sponsoring the project.
He added that teachers in the public sector will each receive their laptop to enhance teaching.
The Headmistress of the St. Mary's Senior High School, Philomena Owusu-Ansah who could not hide her joy promised the Vice President and other dignitaries present that she will ensure the laptops provided, will be used for its intended purposes.
She thanked the Vice President, Minister for Education and Ghana Education Service for providing teachers with the laptops.
Below is a video and pictures:
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith