Chief supports Pankese schools with computers
The Akyem Kotoku Mponua Gyasehene of Pankese, Nana Kwesi Addo II, has donated 15 desktop computers to three schools at Pankese in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region.
The donation is to enhance the study of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the beneficiary schools.
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At a short ceremony held on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, Nana Kwesi Addo gave five desktop computers to each of the three schools in the Pankese community, namely Pankese District Assembly (D/A) Junior High School (JHS), Pankese Roman Catholic JHS, and Pankese Emmanuel Methodist Basic School.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, he said he felt a sense of responsibility to help the school children in the community to have a feel of practical ICT education to put them on a solid foundation to compete with their counterparts in the cities.
"We live in a competitive world, and ICT is currently dominating the world. Our children in this village are expected to compete with their colleagues in the urban cities, but here they are without any computers to learn with. This will really affect their performance, most of them have never seen nor touched computers, not to talk of working with it and I believe that narrative must change at a point that is why I brought these computers to start with," the chief said.
He indicated that he has plans to build an ultramodern computer laboratory for the community, which will serve as a centre for the promotion of ICT education to put the children on the same pedestal as their counterparts in the urban cities, and encourage teachers to go about their work smoothly.
Appeal
Nana Kwesi Addo appealed to government to attend to the needs of the people of Pankese, including the provision of a health facility and a Senior High School to befit its rising status.
"The Pankese community is developing gradually; I want to appeal to the government to also pay attention to Pankese. We need a hospital and a senior high school at least to befit our status as a developing community. These would bring jobs to many young people in our community, to address some unemployment situations and its consequences in this enclave. At the moment, community folks travel far distance to the nearest cities for healthcare and secondary education which has been long overdue," he said.
He urged the authorities of the three schools to make good use of the new desktop computers to teach the pupils and prepare them well for their final examinations to improve the academic performance of the community.
Commendation
The headmaster of Pankese D/A JHS, Mr Peter Kwaku Ofori commended Nana Gyasehene for his gesture, which he described as timely to help improve ICT learning in the school.
He told the Daily Graphic in an interview, that teachers used their phones and laptops as well as draw other parts of computers and accessories on the chalkboard to explain lesson to the pupils. This according to him, have not had the desired effects on ICT learning; adding that, "the donation of the computers is a great sign that will definitely improve the learning if ICT in the schools around here. At least the pupils will have the privilege to see, touch and have practical lessons with a visible desktop computers".
He also called on government and education authorities to help renovate some of their classroom blocks that have not seen any renovation works since their construction for over 50 years and become death traps especially during heavy downpours.
Pupils reaction
The head prefect of Pankese DA JHS, Mr Bernard Obeng expressed excitement for the donation of the new desktop computers. He lamented their ordeal of having to study ICT on chalkboards, which according to him made it difficult for them to understand what the teachers were putting across.
Ms Emmanuella Serwaa Gyan, a pupil of Pankese Roman Catholic JHS, shared same sentiment. She added that most of them have been frustrated at taking ICT lessons because they never really could understand how to use the computers even outside the class without a practical lesson.
The two pupils thanked the Gyasehene for the gesture and urged their fellows to make good use of the computers to improve their ICT learning. They remained confident that their performance in ICT would improve in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) with the introduction of practical lesson with the new desktops in their various schools.