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Kumasi-based Opoku Ware School (OWASS) will lead the government’s SMART School project, aimed at revolutionizing education in 30 Senior High Schools across Ghana, Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has disclosed.
The Minister made this announcement during this during his visit to the school on Sunday (2 June). He stated that OWASS would be the first school to be converted into a SMART School.
“In two weeks, the Vice President and Flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, will be here to hand over your tablets to you, and within this period, SMART boards will be installed in ten classes for the commencement of the SMART Project,” Dr Adutwum announced.
The Education Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, joined the students for breakfast in their dining hall, engaging with them about their challenges and encouraging them to strive for higher achievements in education.
The SMART School initiative, according to Dr. Adutwum, is a significant step by the Nana Addo-led government towards advancing e-learning and digitalization in the country’s education system. This project will provide comprehensive teaching and learning management systems, along with digital educational content, to senior high and technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions nationwide, enhancing teaching, learning, and understanding.
“Very soon, when this school is fully converted into a SMART School, your home assignments, class tests, exams, marking, and grading will be done online, and you will get your results instantaneously. Other schools are going to be working with you. Some schools will log into your system and take advantage of your system to learn. They can log into your chemistry class and take part in it,” he added.
Dr. Adutwum also indicated that the government plans to build more virtual learning high schools in the country, allowing students to register and pursue online courses.
Highlighting the successes of the Free SHS policy, Dr Adutwum noted significant progress in student intake in Senior High Schools, particularly among girls. Before the policy, the national student population at the SHS level was a little over 800,000, but it now stands at 1.4 million, with first-year student intake currently at 505,000.
The Minister attributed this increase to the Free SHS policy, which has made schools more accessible to all Ghanaian children. He provided regional statistics showing high SHS entry rates in the Northern Region (95%), North East and Savanna Regions (94%), Upper East (92%), and Upper West (89%). The Volta Region, with the lowest figure of 76%, is being targeted for improvement.
“The Free SHS policy has also had a positive impact on girl-child education. Before the policy, if you had 100 boys in a school, you would find only 68 girls. But now, if you have 100 boys, you will find 106 girls. The boy-girl ratio in schools currently stands at 100 boys to 106 girls, a significant improvement in the girl-student population in Senior High Schools. This is one of the good things Free SHS has brought to us,” Dr. Adutwum stated.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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