The tablets are part of a larger initiative to distribute 1.3 million tablets to public Senior High School and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students.
According to Adutwum, the distribution will be conducted in three phases, with the first phase targeting 32 schools across all regions.
In an interview with Joy Newsfile, he stated, “The 450,000 is a little less than 30 %, the deployment is such that it is in three phases. The first phase which is hitting the regions and schools in the next coming week, is going to 32 schools in the 16 regions.
“Once it gets to the school, there is a dashboard that informs us the tablets are here. The whole idea is to ensure that you will do a phased approach to deployment and don’t get the system overwhelmed.
“Once we get them to the 32 schools, then within a week or two thereafter the rest which is phase two also starts moving to the schools, so it’s a phased deployment.”
He added, “There’s also a power bank in it, and in case the power goes out, there’s a solar panel that allows you to charge it using solar in the case of this device. So, that is in response to the issue of erratic power supply at certain times.”
President Akufo-Addo's announcement on March 25 highlighted the importance of digitizing all sectors of the country, including education.
The Smart School Project aims to provide students with access to digital resources, enhancing their learning experience. The tablets come equipped with keyboards that can function as laptops or tablets, ensuring versatility in their use.
The Minister noted that the tablets are a step towards phasing out textbooks, as educational materials will be infused into the tablets. To ensure effective use of the tablets, ICT Coordinators in schools have been providing training to teachers.
The tablets are priced at $250 each, with the first 450,000 tablets costing 112 million cedis, and the entire 1.3 million tablets totaling 337 million Ghana cedis.
Addressing concerns about potential damage or mishandling of the tablets, especially in schools with large populations, Dr. Adutwum revealed plans to establish dedicated repair centers on-site.
He expressed confidence in students' ability to care for the tablets, citing examples from his experience in the United States where students were diligent in protecting their laptops, which were essential for their academic success.
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Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education