ICT expert advocates one laptop for a teacher

Accra, June 27, GNA- Mr. Addow-Quashie, Director of Information, Commuinication and Technology (ICT) of the Parliament of Ghana on Thursday observed that the successful integration of computer revolution into the school system, demands the need for one laptop for a teacher.

“Teachers must be enabled to use the instructional technology,” he said, adding that giving each teacher a laptop would be a useful tool in their hands and have tremendous impact in the classroom.

Mr. Addow-Quashie made the observation at a brainstorming meeting in Accra to develop ideas that could transform teaching and learning with the aid of ICT.

It was organised in by the Advanced Information Technology Institute and Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT and attracted participants from Ghana Education Service, Ghana National Association of Teachers, Ghana National Association Graduate Teachers, Heads of private and public schools, Information Technology companies and the media.

Mr. Addow-Quashie appealed to the government to include teachers in the one computer for a pupil project aimed at automating the classroom with instructional technology.

He said teachers must make their needs known to government through constant appeals.

Mrs. Cecilia Tutu-Danquah, Pedagogical Consultant for ICT in Education noted that technology offer in-depth understanding and explain the knowledge behind innovations.

She said technology must be perceived as a catalyst for change in teaching style, in learning approaches, and access to information.

Mrs Tutu-Danquah said the bane of the take off of instructional technology in Ghana was the apathy of teachers some of who could not even hold the mouse of a computer let alone acquire skills in the use of the key board.

She said teachers must be willing to accept ICT or the world would leave them behind.

Mrs Tutu-Danquah advised parents not to prevent their children from the use of the computer.

During open forum, participants identified that the slow rate of ICT in the educational system in Ghana as the apathy of most teachers to embrace ICT.

GNA