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20.11.2014 Education

UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS STUDENTS TO GET FREE LAPTOPS COMPUTER SOON - MESTI

By Isaac Okyere
UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS STUDENTS TO GET FREE LAPTOPS COMPUTER SOON - MESTI
20.11.2014 LISTEN

The chief director for the ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) Dr. Sylvester Anemana has said that students entering Universities and polytechnics will soon receive free laptop computer to take them through their course at the tertiary level.

This will fall part of the next phase of laptop distribution which MESTI is embarking to schools both private and public, under the “better Ghana ICT program”.

Under this program all second institutions in all the 10 regions have been supplied with laptops to establish computer libraries to enhance effective learning to promote technology.

The chief director was speaking on behalf of the minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Hon. Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, at the first International Conference on Applied Science and Technology (ICAST), held at the Kumasi Polytechnic in Ashanti region-Ghana.

The anniversary high the theme,” Building a modern society through technology”, which aim to bring intellectuals across the country to communicate a way to enforce technology to build a sustainable society through technology innovation.

Dr. Sylvester, in his speech said, the laptop distribution will help build solid innovation basis in the students, in other to promote computer literacy among the youth and ultimately bring the much needed efficiency in all aspects of economy, especially in the development of science, technology and innovation.

Adding to this he said, MESTI is implementing a MASTESS program in which brilliant but needy science and technology students are supported to complete their education. This program according to him is meant to support training in science and technology to help develop the needed human capital for implementing the STI Agenda.

He said, Ghana first attempt at implementing a Science, Technology and Innovation agenda was soon after the country gained independent in 1957 under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah regime, which include the establishment of the National Research Council in 1958, university college of education now KNUST, among others.

He noted weaknesses of the Nkrumah STI agenda saying: the absence of private sector participation and entrepreneurships as every part of the innovation or value addition chain was state owned in line with the socialist ideology time. Also, the human resource for implementation and sustenance of the STI agenda were weak.

According to him, since Nkrumah regime, there has been no real attempt in using STI for the Socio-economic transformation in the country. He said both Kuffuor and the late president Mills administration made some efforts but still fizzle out.

He outlined some measures set by MESTI with regard to the implementation of effective STI in Ghana. MESTI is to set up a National Research council which will coordinate all research work from the various research institutions, the universities, CSIR, GAEC and other public and private institutions. The national research council will also support research institutions to register their new knowledge of technologies to generate IPs.

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