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.
The Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Mr Sam Koranteng, 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 digitization.
Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, the Minister of Communication, said her outfit was in discussion with the telecoms 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.
