Regional News of Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2021-10-27Pupils of Tikobo Two Nana Avo-Nwiah Basic School use stones as computer mouse
play videoA picture of some pupils holding the stone they use as the computer mouse
Correspondence from Western Region
Pupils of Nana Avo-Nwiah Basic School, a suburb of Tikobo Number Two in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region, undertake ICT lessons without a practical feel of computers.
The school was established as a private school but was absorbed by the Government of Ghana in 2016.
However, since its inception, pupils of
Read full articlethe school are yet to see a computer.
GhanaWeb's Western Regional Correspondent, Daniel Kaku, spotted some pupils in the school using stones in place of the computer when he paid a visit to the school
An ICT teacher who does not have a computer himself told GhanaWeb on condition of anonymity that, the situation is very worrying.
He added that, as a result, the pupils continue to fail in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) level, specifically with the ICT subject.
Corroborating the story, Girl's Prefect of the Nana Avo-Nwiah Junior High School, Deborah Kaajo, disclosed to GhanaWeb that they have not seen a computer before.
"We don't know how a computer looks like or mouse. We have been using a stone to replace a mouse."
Deborah Kaajo who has dreams of becoming a medical doctor in the future said the situation if not attended to, could affect her dreams.
"I want to be a doctor in future. Without a computer I can't even be a doctor so how can a doctor who does not know how to use computer care for my country? I want to prevent and protect lives but I don't have a computer to learn. This place too we produce rubber, everything is here, these resources are supporting government so we also need support...," she appealed.
In his reaction, Azupe Cletus, the Headmaster of Nana Avo-Nwiah Basic bemoaned how pupils of his school are unable to have access to an ICT laboratory and tools.
He confirmed that since the inception of the school, pupils of the school have not touched a real computer before.
He said the situation is affecting the academic performance of the children especially in the area of ICT.
"In fact, teaching a practical subject like ICT without computers makes the teacher's work tedious. Especially in the case of Nana Avo Nwiah Basic School where there is not even a single computer for the teacher. It is obvious that learning and understanding basic ICT concepts is a mirage.
"Permit me to add that, the digitization of the global economy makes it imperative that ICT becomes an integral part of the basic school curriculum, which I applaud the government for taking that initiative. This will help equip learners with foundational knowledge and skills for a lifelong learning," he added.
The headmaster, however, took the opportunity to appeal to the government and other benevolent organizations to provide the school with a well-furnished ICT laboratory.
Tikobo Number Two Forest Junction where the school is situated is endowed with cash crops such as cocoa, rubber, coconut among others.
