TECHAiDE launches new educational learning device

A technology social enterprise that specialises in the design, development and deployment of low voltage and rugged computing systems, TECHAiDE, has launched a free information access device.

The device, known as ‘ASANKA’, is a low-power, low-cost, durable content delivery device that works without the Internet.

It can be used to track changes over time with surveys, interactive quizzes and games to see how people improve performance and achieve results and a cheaper, faster and easier way to access educational content.

It is a one-watt device that can be powered by any USB charger from grid power, USB port on a laptop or desktop, battery bank or solar charger and its content can be accessed by any WiFi enabled device.

Impact Education Conference

The launch was performed at the second annual Impact Education Conference organised by TECHAiDE in Accra.

The conference, on the theme: “Teaching with technology", brought together over 150 participants from the public and private schools, proprietors, non-governmental organisations in the educational sector and officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

A former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, said the product was to secure the educational future of Ghanaian children.

He said teachers could utilise the ‘ASANKA’ technology in their teaching notes to make a difference by improving studies.

Improving performance

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah, who is the Board Chairman of TECHAiDE, said schoolchildren in rural areas and under-served communities were not performing well in the area of information and communications technology (ICT), science and maths and that ‘ASANKA’ could address that challenge.

He said there were many innovations in the field of technology unfolding in the world and that parents should take advantage of those technologies to educate their children.

He urged the government to partner TECHAiDE by putting in place a policy that would help promote ‘ASANKA’ in the country’s educational sector.

The Director in charge of Basic Education at the GES, Mrs Margaret Okine, who read a speech on behalf of the Director-General of the GES, lauded the initiative and reiterated the government’s commitment and support to ICT and such initiatives.

Why ASANKA

The Chief Executive Officer of TECHAiDE, Mr Kafui Prebbie, said the concept of ASANKA came about when his outfit decided to deal with the difficulty of accessing relevant online multimedia content in the rural and marginalised areas.

He said aside from the problem of Internet availability and reliability, the issue of cost was a critical one.

“As of June 2017, the cost of 1GB of data in Ghana was approximately $4, which was way above the reach of many households.

“I asked myself the question: ‘How can TECHAiDE innovatively centralise information for people living in developing areas, distribute and access relevant content just like with the Internet but without such high data costs and Internet connectivity?,” he said - GNA