Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has announced that the Government will in the coming weeks begin the distribution of smart Tablets to Senior High School students.
According to the Education Minister, the distribution will begin at the Opoku Ware School in the Ashanti Region.
President Akufo-Addo recently launched the Smart School Project and announced the initiative will see the distribution of 1.3 million Smart Tablets to students across schools in the country.
The project aims to equip students under the Free SHS policy with tools that will derive teaching and learning through technology.
Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, during a visit to the Opoku Ware School, announced that the tablets will be distributed at the school in the coming weeks.
He, however, assured that measures are being adopted to ensure the initiative is effectively implemented.
“Within the next two weeks, we will improve internet connectivity at your school. We are also looking at solar panels on your classroom buildings so that connectivity will not be interrupted because you don’t have electricity. The smart box will be in at least 10 classrooms, that will, be phase 1. Eventually, when you become a smart school fully, the smart box will be in all classrooms.
“We will begin with phase 1, not everything may be online, but with time, your homework, all class activities, lessons, everything will be online, you will be able to take assessment. And with the help of AI, you will get the results instantly. I want you to use the device in a way that will be productive.”
Already, some students of the Opoku Ware School have developed applications that can be used to boost learning with the distribution of smart tablets.
Headteacher of the Opoku Ware School, Reverend Stephen Owusu Sekyere who is also President of the Conference of Assisted Secondary Schools, called for a policy guideline to aid the project’s implementation.
“Even though we’re afraid of what this tablet could bring to the school, especially some of the negative side of it. Like attracting thieves and students stealing from each other, and the kind of trouble they are going to give us when we give the tablets to them
“With education and proper monitoring, we will be able to give them to use. We want them to expedite the policy guidelines so that the students can use them on a pilot basis.”
The Minister proceeded to the Presbyterian Girls, where he urged the students not to allow their present environment to affect their future aspirations.
He disclosed the introduction of the Science programme at the school and the construction of a fence to improve the security of students.
The Minister said the Government will roll out more technological initiatives to boost Ghana’s education sector.
