The out-going Central Regional Director of Education, Dr Sarfo Kantanka, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reconsider its decision and allow students to use computers and mobile phones in school.
He said for the ease of learning and meeting the challenges of the global world, it was imperative for students to use such facilities because their benefits far outweigh their disadvantages and tasked headmasters to have a second look at the situation.
Dr Kantanka made the call on Wednesday in Cape Coast when rlg communication company in collaboration with the Ministry of Education presented 9,800 laptop computers to basic and Junior High Schools in the Central Region.
In all 372 schools from all the districts in the region including Foso Railways Station A and B, Foso Methodist A and B, Effutu Presby JHS, Effutu Zion D JHS. DonBosco JHS, Elmina Model school Bronyibima MA JHS would benefit from the computers which are assembled in Ghana by rlg communication, to serve as tools for their development at the basic level of education.
Dr Kantanka commended rlg for the provision of the laptops as well as ask the training of Teachers in ICT, adding that in the Central Region alone about 500 teachers have so far been trained and appealed that rlg should allow the teachers to keep the laptops they use for their training to enable them continue practicing.
Mr Lee Ocran, the out-going Minister of Education who presented the laptops to district directors of education, said plans were far advanced to also distribute about 500 laptops to teachers in the basic schools across the country to enhance their knowledge in ICT.
He said the government has targeted to distribute 60,000 laptop computers nationwide and that so far 40,000 computers have been distributed in nine regions and that the Ashanti Region would get it share before the end of January.
He said the world was moving in a fast pace and that the educational sector could not continue working with old equipment and stressed that very soon the use of projectors and white boards would be introduced in all public schools in the country.
He also hinted that school curriculums would soon go digital to enable deprived and less endowed schools to access lessons and courses in well-endowed schools adding that these were part of the Better Ghana Agenda Programme for the education sector.
Mr Lee Ocran used the platform to warn heads of the beneficiary schools not to use the laptops as their personal property or give them out as gifts but rather they should ensure that the pupils made good use of the computer to improve upon their ICT skills.
He said to ensure quality education it was necessary to provide the requisite facilities that would enhance teaching and learning in schools in the country and that the distribution of the laptops was an on-going programme which would enable all public basic schools to have access to ICT training.
Mrs Ama Benyiwaa Doe, out-going Central Regional Minister, expressed her gratitude to Mr Ocran for his great concern for the region which has made it possible for the presentation to occur.
She said the government would remain committed to the education sector and ensure that the necessary equipment are provided to enhance learning adding that with the provision of the laptops it would go a long way to improve the results of the BECE in most schools in the region since ICT is now an examinable subject.
Mr Emmanuel Arthur, Corporate Affairs Manager of rlg, said the company was committed to the free laptop programme and would make sure that all basic schools benefit from the programme and urged the beneficiary schools to endeavour to take good care of the computers.