One of the teachers taking the children through the learning process at ICT Empowered Kindergarten at Kwabenya in Accra
President Akufo-Addo yesterday handed over the newly constructed Kwabenya Model Kindergarten School to the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The model school, which is made up of four classrooms, is fitted with computers, electronic teaching and learning boards, electronic tablets and other learning and teaching materials, with the classrooms decorated to enhance learning.
At the commissioning and handing over, President Akufo-Addo described education as the equaliser of opportunities and the most effective way to change the fortunes of the African continent and country.
It is for this reason he said investments in early childhood education was critical to the development of the country.
Aside that, he stressed the belief that quality and inclusive early education enables all children, irrespective of their physical, emotional, social or medical challenges to come together in a school to play and learn together.
Education without these components, according to him, will deprive children of playing and other critical things like cognitive, physical, social and emotional core competencies and language development.
According to the President, his government took it upon itself to embark on the construction of some 350 kindergarten blocks across the country, 160 of which has been completed so far, with several dilapidated blocks also being renovated.
He took the opportunity to commend the Arab Development Bank, which has provided funds for the construction of kindergartens in towns like Dadwen in Nzema East Municipal, Apewosika in Cape Coast, Nsuta in Techiman, and Kenyasi in Asutifi North and Atobiase in Adansi South District.
Government, he said, has also been compelled to review the educational curriculum to standard base as well as increasing infrastructure.
On his part, the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum could not help praising President Akufo-Addo for making Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education a priority at all levels of education in the country.
He was optimistic this would help produce the human resource the country needs to develop.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu