Laptop boost for Ghana schools

The initiative forms part of the next phase of government's computerisation programme intended to promote growth driven by Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Mahama said the rollout followed an implementation of both the basic school computerisation project and the Ghana Laptop Project, under which a total of 160 000 laptops were distributed to schools, institutions and individuals to enhance teaching and learning of ICT.

Mahama spoke at a ceremony in Accra to distribute laptops to individuals and institutions.

The occasion was the graduation of 2 500 Persons With Disability (PWD) who underwent six months in ICT at the Rlg Institute of Technology, a subsidiary of Rlg Communications, Ghana's indigenous ICT firm.

The graduates received tools provided by government to help them set-up their own businesses.

Mahama said government would continue to place emphasis on education in general and ICT in particular to uplift people's standards of living as well as creating jobs.

Touching on governments' policy on education, Mahama said while making efforts to expand access, greater attention would be given to quality.

"Government is compelled to comply with the constitutional mandate enjoining us to make education not only of the highest quality but progressively free", he said.

He condemned the continuous practice where persons with a disability were scorned and looked-down upon saying the government would do its best to reaffirm the position that disability could not be equated to inability.

The executive secretary of the National Council of Persons with Disability, Max Vardon, said the disability fraternity was very much appreciative of government's interventions to ensure restoration of dignity of persons with all sorts of disabilities.

He however appealed for increased financial support towards the efficient running of the council.

The chief executive of Rlg Communications, Roland Agambire announced that Rlg would offer permanent jobs to 2 500 beneficiaries of the PWD ICT Project as part of its plans to create jobs for 1 million people within the next five years.

He expressed the hope beneficiaries will put the skills acquired to good use.