Mr Bruce Crawley, Chairman of the Collaboration for Information Technology (IT) and Communications Excellence, has presented 10 laptop computers and a flat screen television to the Nabdam Girls Model Junior High School in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.
The Collaboration for IT and Communications Excellence is a programme of the African Bicycle Contribution Foundation (ABCF), a non-profit making organisation based in the United States of America.
The foundation had over the years distributed 500 free Ghanaian-made bicycles to rural schools throughout Ghana, and recently introduced the Collaboration for IT and Communications Excellence programme.
At a ceremony to present the computers and television to the school, Mr Crawley said the foundation in July 2018 presented 50 free bikes to pupils of the Girls Model School as a means to explore the launch of its computer laboratory initiative.
He noted that the school previously had no classes focused on Information Communication Technology (ICT), and said under the new programme, the ABCF would continue to raise funds from corporate interests and individuals in the United States, Africa, and elsewhere to enable it reach out to learning institutions.
He indicated that the foundation would no longer focus on providing transportation support to students, but would reach out to Ghana’s Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, the worldwide private sector schools, global tech leaders and universities.
“As a foundation established by African Americans, our ‘Year of Return’ was actually 2016, when we came to Ghana to purchase and distribute free bamboo bikes to rural under-resourced students,” Mr Crawley said.
He said “We have worked to bring positive outcomes to students across Ghana, since that time. Now, we trust that our funders will support this new and different effort that is designed to further prepare Ghana’s deserving young people for a globally competitive future.”
Madam Patricia Marshall Harris, the President of the Collaboration for IT and Communications Excellence said “We are so pleased to be able to launch this new programme at the Girls Model School, in Nabdam. We will work to ensure that students at other rural schools across Ghana are eventually included.”
Madam Agnes Anamoo, the Nabdam District Chief Executive said the distribution of the bamboo bikes to pupils of the school was a significant milestone in education delivery because it had enhanced punctuality of pupils to school.
She said the initiative by the foundation to support the school with computers would improve ICT education among the pupils, and expressed appreciation to management of the foundation for the gesture.
Madam Cynthia Kapoti, the headmistress of the Nabdam Girls Model JHS said the computers would enhance practical ICT lessons, which were hitherto taught theoretically, and appealed to other organisations to support the school with resources to enable it attain its model status in the district.
GNA
