THE ROTARACT club of Sunyani District, Bono Region,has donated a set of computers and a projector to the Sunyani Technical Institute (STI) to supportthe practical work of students studying Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
According to STI Principal, Paul Alexander Sabbi, even though the Institute offers ICT programme to over 75 students under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)programme, teachers only teach theory as there are no computers to engage the students in the practical aspect of the course.
“Out of the over 1,500 student population of the institute, 75 students are offered ICT, but the school does not have a single computer in its computer lab to do practical work,” he told the club.
He continued, “We allowed some of the students to bring their personal laptops, which the teachers depend on to teach the class. The ICT department has no computer of its own. All efforts to solicit the same from benevolent organizations have failed, and that was my worry.”
President of Sunyani Rotary Club, Theresa Appraku, was happy that the club had come to solve the problem with 10 HP desktop computers and a projector to aid in the practical training of the students.
“The aim of Rotarians is to put smiles on the faces of the needy in society, hence our visit to the school to do a need assignment to help in our small way as we celebrate five years of existence in Sunyani.
“It is after the needs assessment of the school that we decided to present computers to assist them in their studies,” she said.
Ms. Appraku pleaded with the students to take good care of their machines for the next generation of students to also benefit from the practical work.
“Your lessons are no longer going to be theory but will have the benefit of handling computers,” she said.
She further advised them to take their studies seriously and come out with good grades.
Mr. Sabbi was emotional as he offered appreciation to the club, saying he had least expected it since he had made efforts to get computers for the school on several occasions but failed.
According to him, the Sunyani Technical Institute was established in the 1970s and offered technical and vocational courses, but has now come under the TVET programme and offers courses such as Electrical Engineering, Block Laying and Concreting, Automobile Engineering, Plumbing and Gas Fitting, Welding and Fabrication, Fashion and Design Technology among others.
He appealed to the government and other benevolent organisations to come to the aid of the school with students’ and teachers’ accommodation.
We are overwhelmed with encroaching on the school land by individuals, so I appeal to TVET authorities, the Sunyani Traditional Council, and the regional education authorities to intervene on our behalf.
FROM Daniel Y. Dayee