One laptop per pupil pilot project begins in Central Region

The one laptop per pupil pilot project, which was initiated by the late Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, a former Education Minister, on Friday commenced in the Central Region, with the distribution of 90 mini laptop computers to some selected basic schools.

The schools came from the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA), Twifo-Hemang-Lower Denkyira and Mfantseman districts. Presenting the items on behalf of Mrs. Elizabeth Amoah Tetteh, Deputy Minister of Education in charge of pre-Tertiary, the Central Regional Minister, Ama Benyiwa Doe, said the project was considered by both present and past governments to ensure that primary schools in the country were equipped with ICT training.

Mrs. Tetteh said the world was fast changing in the socio-cultural, economic, educational and political scenes therefore there was the need to inculcate ICT training in basic education.

She said the level of every country's development, was dependent on technology and the quality of educational system that embraces ICT programmes, hence the policy of a computer for every child.

She appealed to the schools to put the delicate machines to good use, to help prolong their lifespan.

Mrs. Benyiwa Doe, after presenting the computers on behalf of Deputy Education Minister, used the opportunity to caution teachers to stay clear of the computers, although she had advised them to gain knowledge in computers to help their pupils.

Receiving the items on behalf of the schools, Mr. Simeon Obotan-Larbi, Acting Regional Director of Education, thanked the government for fulfilling its promise of continuing the every child per laptop project, explaining that the computer had become very essential in modern education.