By Eunice Hilda Ampomah, GNA
Accra, Jan 14, GNA – In a quest to promote
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to equip students with hands-on
digital skills, MTN Ghana Foundation has started constructing an e-Learning
Centre for Ebenezer Senior High School (SHS) in Dansoman.
An ICT Centre, a Robotic Laboratory and an
e-library facility would be constructed as part of the e-learning project to
offer students skills in technological designs and innovation development.
The e-library is designed to have a capacity
for 100 users, while the ICT Centre has a capacity for 20 users at a time.
The project, which is estimated to cost GHC
800,000 would be opened to the public for learning and research on completion
slated in June 2020.
Mr Sam Koranteng, the Corporate Services
Executive of MTN Ghana, said the company learnt that the Dansoman community in
the Accra Metropolis was the largest estate in West Africa with over 20
schools, but had one community library, which was inadequate.
He said construction of a supplementary
library would greatly improve the technological know-how of members of the
community, especially the youth.
He said the company was working to form
Robotics Clubs to mentor the youth to fit into the digital space.
MTN Ghana supported the Methodist Girls SHS in
the World Robotics Competition and was willing to encourage more students to
achieve greater heights in digitisation.
Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, the Minister of
Communication, said her outfit was in discussion with the telecos to provide schools
with free internet access to enhance teaching and learning.
She recommended that the Dansoman School
should consider engaging of personnel of Nation Builders’ Corps and Colleges of
Education to facilitate manning of the facility.
“The Ebenezer SHS has a library, but we felt
it needed a robotic lab. We approached MTN Foundation especially after being
encouraged by the victory of the Mamfe Girls’ and they agreed to help us,” she
said.
Mr Vincent Birch Freeman, the Board Chairman
of the School believed the facility would help students to bring out their best
in technology and innovation.
He said many children, especially in Junior
High School, were creative and could improve their talents and enhance their
skills with the new facility.
Mr Kofi Mensah, the Headmaster of the School,
said the project would help students offering elective ICT courses to improve
on their performance.
He appealed to government to convert the
School, which was ‘Day’ into a Boarding School to enable the teachers to
monitor after school academic activities of students.
“We have the land for the construction of a
boarding house whenever authorities are ready to help us,” he added.
GNA