‘Government committed to ICT education’

The Birim Central Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Ms Ophelia Koomson, has inaugurated a GH¢114,133.00 ICT library for the Wesley Junior High School (JHS) at Akyem Oda.

At the ceremony, she said the government would not renege on its commitment to promote Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education in schools nationwide and so had resolved to provide ICT tools to equip pupils in rural and urban areas.

She said the government, through the assembly, had supplied over 400 laptops to schools in the municipality, adding that; “The Government will invest a chunk of the nation’s resources in human resource development.”

“It is the desire of the government that through ICT education, the culture and practices of traditional memory-based learning will be transformed to education that stimulates thinking and creativity necessary to meet 21st century challenges,” she said.

Ms Koomson said the introduction of free exercise books and school uniforms, increase in capitation grant and the expansion of the school feeding programme were some interventions by the government to lessen the burden of parents financially.

She, therefore, appealed to parents to take advantage of those interventions to send their children, especially the girls, to school.

Rev. Col. Paul Adjei Brewu (retd), Bishop of the Akyem Oda Diocese of the Methodist Church-Ghana, lauded the MCE for her efforts to promote quality education in the area.

He challenged the pupils to take their studies seriously and respect their parents and teachers.

Obrempong Gyamfi Safo Kyere, Krontihene of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, advised the pupils to be committed to their studies in order to become responsible adults.

In another development, the municipal chief executive has urged students to make “discipline their watchword.”

She said without discipline, students would not be able to achieve success in life, adding that “discipline is required of you at all times.”

Ms Koomson, who was addressing a parade of schoolchildren at Akyem Oda to mark Ghana's 57th Independence celebration, reminded them that as future leaders, they had a special role to play in the development of Mother Ghana.

“You should devote more time to your books and strive to achieve excellence in whatever you do,’’ she advised the students.

The MCE said since education was a priority of the government, it had not relented in building several classrooms with ancillary facilities in the municipality, as well as the distribution of several laptops and school uniforms to pupils.

On the Street-naming and Property Address System, Ms Koomson said a committee had been formed to oversee the implementation and the realisation of the project.

 She assured the people that Akyem Oda Old Town had been selected as a pilot area and the programme would subsequently be rolled out in the entire municipality. — GNA