The ICT lab. INSET: Ursula Owusu-Ekuful being assisted by DCE Kwadwo Banahene Bediako to open the lab
MINISTER OF Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has commissioned a 40-seater ICT laboratory at Nsutaman Senior High School (SHS) in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region under the government’s school connectivity project.
The project seeks to equip selected deprived schools with computers and accessories as well as provision of internet connectivity.
So far, 250 junior high schools (JHSs) have been equipped with computers with internet connectivity, and 20 senior high schools (SHSs) have been provided with 40-seater computer laboratory (thin client) each.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said 49 out of the 250 beneficiary JHSs are in the Ashanti Region, while nine of the SHSs – including the Nsutaman SHS – are in the region.
She indicated that the ultimate aim of the programme is to prepare Ghanaian children for the digitalization revolution that is sweeping across the world as the nation seeks to position itself as the technological hub and computational thinking of Africa.
“We want everybody to turn to Ghana for digitalization in the near future, and probably lead the world,” the minister hinted, disclosing that the ministry of communications had opened discussions with the education ministry to introduce coding into the curriculum as part of ICT education in schools.
At Kwamang, the minister also commissioned another 40-seater computer laboratory (thin client) at the Kwamang Presbyterian Senior Technical School after inspecting an abandoned Community Information Centre (CIC) that used to provide access to internet-enabled computers, software based on local information needs, photocopiers, telephones, fax machines and many others.
She had earlier visited the Kodie CIC where 78 kids of the community are undergoing training in computer concept and coding – the basic programming course in ICT – that helps kids to create games, animations and software without learning programming text.
She revealed: “This falls under the coding for kids programme, which is being implemented in 150 schools across the country”.
She was accompanied by Abraham Kofi Asante, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications, and the DCE of Sekyere Central, Kwadwo Banahene Bediako
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Nsuta