The MP for Akatsi North, who doubles as the Ranking Member of the Education Select Committee in Parliament, Peter Nortsu, is worried about the government’s inability to comprehensively address educational facilities.
“The way we have managed education in this country is my problem. The government has started other projects and not finished, then brought in another. Then the first one comes to a standstill, and we don’t know what will happen to it. Look, you have initiated the one-teacher-one-laptop, you have not finished distributing the laptops to the various teachers, but now we are implementing another project.”
Mr. Nortsu made these comments when he spoke to Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show. His comments were on the back of the launch of the Ghana Smart Schools Project.
The MP disclosed that Parliament has had to approve funds to be redirected for the purchase of laptops for teachers.
“Before Parliament went on recess, we had to approve GH¢98 million to be taken from the GETFund basic school allocation, money that was meant to provide 100 kindergarten blocks throughout the country, for the procurement of the laptops.”
“Again, the government said they were going to provide every student in the senior high school with tablets, and we have 1.3 million students in SHS. Last year, they wanted GETFund to fund everything, and we said no, the government must look for money. The Minister of Education pleaded with us, and we said why don’t we allow GETFund to buy 450,000 pieces. They are paying for it last year and this year. That is all that the government has been able to procure,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Education Select Committee is still not clear on the unit costs of the tablets.
It would be recalled that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo revealed plans to distribute smart tablets to 1.3 million Senior High School (SHS) students nationwide.
This announcement was made during the launch of the Ghana Smart Schools Project in Accra on Monday.
The Ghana Smart Schools Project is designed to equip students under the free SHS policy with essential technological skills, aligning with the government’s commitment to advancing education through technology.
President Akufo-Addo further disclosed that approximately 100 smart SHSs are slated for construction across the country within the next two years, aiming to enhance the learning environment and educational opportunities for students nationwide.
“To distribute 1.3 million educational tablets to students in SHSs. That is one student, one tablet under the Ghana Smart Schools Project. The tablets are fitted with digital content to aid research, teaching, and learning.
“At the tertiary level, Ghana is pleased to provide at a discounted price tablets and laptops to students and lecturers to facilitate academic [activities]… The government continues to seek innovative ways to do STEM and the FSHS policy.”
“The next phase of the FSHS policy enhancement will be propelled by digitalization. This will allow a seamless online and offline teaching and learning experience,” he stated.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah|Bolgatanga|
