ICT training programme for teachers launched

The Minister of Education, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has said even though the country has made significant progress in access to education, quality, on the average, remains a challenge.

She has, therefore, advocated strategies and interventions, including an increased effort to promote professional development of teachers to arrest the situation.

The minister was speaking at the launch of the second phase of the ICT training programme for teachers in Accra.

A total of 31,000 basic and second cycle school teachers are expected to be offered competency training in ICT in general and teaching and learning programmes and applications over a three-month period.

Overall, the programme seeks to introduce the ICT concept in schools to enable the pupils to acquire the skills in usage to enhance teaching and learning.

The knowledge gained from the training is also intended to help teachers overcome technology barriers, especially in teaching and learning.

In the first phase of the project, about 50,000 teachers underwent similar training.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the major objective of the government’s education strategy was to increase access, improve equity as well as quality of education delivery.

“Technology will help in the integration of ICT in education and facilitate the teaching of subjects such as languages, Mathematics and Science which still continues to be a challenge for students”, the minister explained.

The Director of ICT at the Ministry of Education, Mr Francis Avugbe, said the introduction of ICT in education was necessary to transform knowledge impartation and acquisition strategies.

A Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Madam Elizabeth de-Souza, urged beneficiary teachers to put the knowledge acquired to good use.

The Head of the Rlg Institute of Technology, Mr Kwaku Mensuoh, said his outfit had engaged a team of knowledgeable ICT experts on Microsoft software to conduct the training programmes.

“The issue of proximity has been addressed to avoid trainees having to travel long distances to the learning centres.” he added.

There was a presentation of computers to some beneficiary teachers.