One Student, One Tablet in Ghana: A Digital Leap or a Premature Experiment?

Ghana’s education sector has taken a decisive step toward digital transformation with the “One student, One tablet” initiative, where tablets are distributed nationwide to senior high school (SHS) students. This initiative seeks to improve access to learning resources, promote digital literacy, and modernise pedagogy.

While the initiative aligns with global trends in educational technology integration, evidence from both Ghana and other jurisdictions suggests that technology integration in education succeed not merely through expanding access, but through systems of control, pedagogy, and institutional readiness.

This raises a critical question: Is Ghana prepared to harness the benefits of this initiative, or does it risk replicating challenges observed elsewhere?

THE GOOD OF “ONE STUDENT, ONE LAPTOP”

The distribution of tablets is not only an improvement but it also represents a logical progression from access-focused reforms such as the Free Senior High School policy. It signals a shift toward quality, equity, and the development of 21st. It offers plethora of benefits:

Access to Learning Resources
Digital devices with preloaded learner materials have significantly reduced disparities in access to textbooks and instructional materials. Preloaded content, such as e-books, learner materials, and simulations can support independent learning and improve academic outcomes (Hennessy et al., 2016). Both the rich and poor have equal access to all relevant learner resources.

Development of Digital Competence

Digital literacy is increasingly recognised as a foundational skill. Integrating tablets into education equips students with competencies in information retrieval, communication, and problem-solving, which are essential in the modern knowledge economy. This helps students develop essential 21^st century skills (Voogt et al., 2015).

Facilitation of Blended Learning
Tablets enable flexible learning environments that combine in-person and digital instruction. While at home, teachers can still engage learners in online tuition. This is particularly valuable during disruptions such as vacations and even pandemics, where continuity of learning becomes critical. With each student having a tablet, classes can be organized and all learners can join remotely, wherever they are (UNESCO, 2023).

The portability factor cannot be overstated either. A single lightweight device replaces dozens of heavy textbooks, making it easier for students to carry learning materials between school and home

IMPLEMENTATION REALITIES IN THE GHANAIAN CONTEXT

Despite its potential, the initiative faces structural and behavioural challenges that could undermine its effectiveness. Few of such challenges are:

Misuse and Off-Task Behaviour
Empirical studies show that student devices often lead to increased distraction, with learners shifting from academic tasks to entertainment and social media (Beland & Murphy, 2016). Early anecdotal reports in Ghana suggest similar patterns. In November 2025, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu revealed to Parliament that many students were using the tablets for non-academic purposes, including accessing pornographic content. This revelation prompted Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) to urgently call for a nationwide recall of approximately 83,000 tablets to install UNESCO-approved safety features and content filters

Infrastructure Constraints
Effective implementation of digital learning requires stable electricity, internet connectivity, and technical support. However, disparities between urban and rural schools may limit equitable utilisation. Absence of plugs for charging electrical devices in most senior high schools coupled with uneven access to electricity across the country; with some towns not having stable electricity can hinder equitable usage (World Bank, 2022). The solar system of charging is not sufficient for extended usage.

There are also concerns about policy coherence. Critics have highlighted the contradiction between the Ghana Education Service's strict ban on mobile phones in SHS and the simultaneous distribution of tablets that serve nearly identical functions. This inconsistency, observers argue, exposes a gap in policy direction that needs urgent attention.

If educational authorities cannot present a coherent vision for technology use, how can students be expected to navigate these waters responsibly?

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE: LESSONS FROM COUNTRIES REASSESSING DEVICE USE

Ghana’s experience after the implementation of the initiative reflects a broader global tension. While many countries initially embraced digital devices in education, a growing number are now restricting or regulating their use due to unintended consequences.

Policy Shifts Across some Countries

• The Netherlands has implemented a ban on mobile devices in secondary schools to improve concentration.
• Brazil restricts devices strictly to educational purposes.
• Bangladesh enforces a full ban in schools.
• In Finland, device use is allowed only under teacher supervision.
• South Korea has introduced restrictions due to concerns about digital addiction.

What is Causing these Policy Restriction?

Distraction and Academic Decline: Research indicates that banning mobile devices can improve student performance, particularly among lower-achieving students (Beland & Murphy, 2016).

Mental Health and Digital Addiction: Excessive screen time has been linked to anxiety, reduced attention span, and dependency among adolescents (Twenge, 2019).

Cyberbullying and Social Risks: Digital platforms can amplify peer conflict and expose students to harmful online interactions (UNESCO, 2019).

Countries that introduced devices without strong monitoring frameworks often experienced misuse, leading to policy reversals (OECD, 2021).

Is Ghana and Ghanaian Learners Ready?

The readiness of Ghanaian students for large-scale digital learning is mixed.

On one hand, students are ready: due to increasing familiarity with smartphones and digital platforms. Most students have a smartphone or have access to a smartphone and are on at least one digital platform. Also, there is a high level of curiosity and adaptability among the youth.

Oh the other hand, there is still a gap: there is a weak culture of academic technology use. Early exposure to the constructive use of digital devices is grounded in teaching. Additionally, limited digital discipline and self-regulation make readiness doubtful. Students may be technically capable of using devices but lack the maturity and guidance to use them responsibly.

This suggests that readiness is not automatic but must be cultivated through structured digital citizenship programmes.

POLICY AND PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAXIMISE IMPACT

To avoid the pitfalls experienced elsewhere, Ghana must adopt a structured and evidence-informed approach:

1. Controlled Content Ecosystems
The most immediate need is the implementation of comprehensive Mobile Device Management (MDM) software on all devices. Such systems allow administrators to control which applications students can access, block harmful websites, and monitor usage patterns.

These technological fixes must align with UNESCO-approved safety features, ensuring they meet global standards for protecting children online. The devices are intended strictly for academic purposes, and the technology must reflect this singular focus.

2. Curriculum Integration and Digital Citizenship Education

Digital tools should be embedded into formal teaching, learning activities, and assessment strategies. There should be explicit instruction in digital citizenship right from basic school before students enter SHS. Students must be taught responsible and ethical technology use to foster long-term behavioural change.

Students need to understand not only how to use devices but how to use them ethically, safely, and productively. This is not a distraction from academic learning but an essential component of education in the twenty-first century

3. Teacher Training and Support

Technology alone does not transform education; empowered teachers do. Professional development programmes must accompany device distribution, ensuring educators know how to integrate tablets meaningfully into their lessons

4. Maintenance and support systems are equally crucial.

The Kato360 model, which places technicians in every district and provides a digital platform for reporting issues, offers a template worth emulating. In addition to this, sustained training programmes to equip at least one teacher from each SHS across the country should be organized. This teacher will be a go to person regarding any issue with the device, for both students and teachers.

The global evidence does not necessarily suggest that digital devices should be abandoned. Rather, it indicates that unregulated implementation leads to suboptimal outcomes.

Ghana’s challenge, therefore, is not whether to adopt digital tools, but how to govern their use effectively.

Conclusion
The One Student, One Tablet initiative represents a bold and necessary step toward modernising Ghana’s education system. However, global experiences demonstrate that technology alone does not transform education, systems do. Ultimately, Ghanaian learners are as ready as the systems supporting them allow them to be.

Without strong institutional frameworks, teacher preparedness, and monitoring mechanisms, the initiative risks reproducing challenges observed internationally.

The question is not whether Ghana is ready for tablets, but whether Ghana is ready to manage them wisely.

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