Gov to provide additional 100,000 laptops to students

By: Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh
The government has planned to increase the distribution of laptops to second cycle and tertiary students to boost the teaching and learning of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) in the country, the Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Mustapha Ahmed has disclosed.

According to him, with the increasing need to build the capacity of students for local entrepreneurship and the job market, the government placed high premium on ICT learning, which is now an examinable subject.

The Deputy Minister made this at the second phase of laptop distribution in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital, during which 40 tertiary students received personal laptops under the Better Ghana Agenda (BGA) programme.

He said this critical intervention was part of government's policy to make available to students computers to help in the learning of ICT.

He said the investment in the youth was to build their capacities to the fullest, and promote more learning and technology transfer.

The Deputy Minister said the government, currently, had contracted Rlg, (an indigenous telecommunication company) to supply 100,000 laptop computers under the BGA for second cycle and tertiary students.

However, the Ministry had taken note of the increasing demands by students for personal laptops, and was making financial arrangements to increase the distribution to reach all.

He cautioned the beneficiaries against the use of the computers to foment trouble, but rather put them to the intended purposes.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo, said until recently, students in the second cycle institutions from the three northern regions did not have the opportunity to access personal computers.

He expressed gratitude that more than 1,000 computers had been distributed to the basic and senior high schools for learning of ICT under the Ministry of Education.

He called on the beneficiaries from the tertiary level under the BGA to use the computers for positive things that would broaden their knowledge and horizons in the world of ICT.

Miss Aduri Winbeniti Lois, an accounting student of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic and a beneficiary, thanked the government for the gift.

She said until now, her assignments were typed at business centres and she had to wait in long queues before her turn.

She said the laptop would help in the prompt delivery of her assignments, project work, and also data entry.