By Valentia Tetteh
The image of a teacher standing before a classroom with nothing more than a chalkboard and a register is gradually giving way to a more digital reality.
Across Ghana, education is becoming increasingly technology-driven, with lesson preparation, student assessments, online learning resources and the Ghana Education Service’s digital platforms demanding that teachers possess not only the skills but also the tools to keep pace.
It is against this backdrop that the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has renewed his commitment to equipping teachers with laptops, describing technology as an indispensable part of quality education in the twenty-first century.
Speaking during the presentation of laptops to teachers in Winneba under his “One Teacher, One Laptop Initiative,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the intervention is not a political exercise but a direct response to requests made by teachers who require digital tools to perform their duties effectively.
“This laptop presentation is not a seasonal ritual, and it is certainly not a political calendar that I roll out because a date demands it. The One Teacher, One Laptop Initiative is a personal response when the need genuinely arises,” he stated.
According to him, today’s teachers are expected to undertake responsibilities that go far beyond traditional classroom instruction.
They are required to upload continuous assessment scores onto digital platforms, prepare lesson notes electronically, participate in online professional training programmes, access digital curriculum materials and communicate efficiently through virtual platforms.
He therefore believes denying teachers access to technology amounts to denying them the tools needed to succeed.
“A teacher without a laptop today is like a soldier sent to the frontline without a rifle. I cannot ask for excellence, I cannot demand results, but I owe it to our teachers to first arm them with the instruments that excellence requires.”
Mr. Afenyo-Markin explained that although the initiative procured 100 laptops, only 79 were presented because some newly posted teachers had not yet reported to duty.
“We are distributing 79 today. The remaining 21 teachers are yet to report, and when schools reopen, they will receive theirs. We don’t want to hand them over to third parties.”
The Effutu legislator said every laptop distributed represents an investment not only in a teacher but also in hundreds of pupils whose lives will be shaped by better lesson preparation and improved classroom delivery.
“When I equip a teacher, I do not equip one person. I equip every single pupil who will pass through that teacher’s hands this year and in the years to come.”
Describing teachers as “Ghana’s quiet nation builders,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin acknowledged that educators continue to shoulder enormous responsibilities despite what he described as inadequate remuneration.
“There is no profession in this country that carries heavier moral weight and receives comparatively lighter material reward than teaching.”
He praised teachers for their sacrifices, saying many spend their own resources to support struggling pupils while remaining committed to educating future generations.
“History will judge you kindly, even where today’s economy has not.”
The Minority Leader also highlighted Winneba’s historical significance as Ghana’s foremost teacher-training hub.
He noted that the municipality, home to the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and several renowned second-cycle institutions, has produced generations of teachers who continue to serve across the country.
“Effutu does not just consume education; Effutu produces educators for the nation. This is a heritage I am personally committed to protecting, celebrating and continually investing in.”
He pledged that the initiative, which began in 2018, would continue for as long as he remains privileged to serve the people of Effutu.
