TEACHERS ATTEND FIRST ICT FORUM IN TAMALE

TEACHERS ATTEND FIRST ICT FORUM IN TAMALE

Lack of well equipped state-of-the-art computer laboratories and qualified tutors to teach Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in basic schools and most especially Teacher Training Colleges, have been identified as the bane to ICT development in Ghana’s educational system.

Other issues identified include unavailability of syllabus, financial resources as well as hard and software materials for effective classroom instructions.

Raphael McClure Adomey, an ICT expert, made these assertion in a presentation at the first ever Teachers’ Forum on ICTs organised in Tamale on Thursday July 15^th, 2010.

The forum, organised by Savana Signatures (Savsign) an ICT organisation based in the Northern Region, was to serve as a platform for participants to share ideas on ICTs and also psyche them up to get more interested in ICTs.

It brought together about thirty teachers as well as some selected students and pupils from the Savelugu-Nanton District and the Tamale Metropolis from some selected schools.

Mr. Adomey who is also a computer science tutor at the St Charles Seminary and Senior High School in Tamale, explained that the unavailability of syllabus to teach students ICT in the Teacher Training Colleges in the country was greatly having an effect on basic education.

According to him, teacher trainees are taught ICT based on what is called outlines instead of syllabus, adding that when they complete school they cannot teach anything beyond what they were taught at the training college. Most ICT teachers are found wanting when students ask them questions that they cannot answer, and this is because of their low level of understanding in ICT, he stated.

Mr. Raphael McClure Adomey suggested that ICT lessons in Teacher Training Colleges and basic schools should be well structured.

Regular orientation should also be organised for teacher trainees and teachers to upgrade their skills whiles lessons are also expanded to cover simple computer maintenance.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by Savsign in the three Northern Regions to gain an understanding of the ICT situation in schools, revealed that only 54.10% of schools had no ICT facilities whiles only 45.90% had computers but could not even count up to ten computers.

Report of the survey which was presented by Osman Usif from Savsign, disclosed that Parent Teacher Associations were found to be the major providers of computers to their respective schools scoring 48.20% whereas the rest of the computers were purchased by the said schools (23.10%), NGOs (14.10%) and government (11.10%).

According to him, forty-one (41%) of pupils also had access to computer only when they are in school, 28.20% at ICT Centres, 16.10% at home, 5.10% at their friends homes and 9.50% at the internet cafe.

Mr. Usif also mentioned that 81.70% of schools interviewed said they did not have internet facilities in their schools whiles only 5.80% had such facilities.

Whiles 45% think that ICT should be made examinable in school because by that arrangement, it will oblige government to suuply schools with computers and its accessories as well as qualified tutors to teach the subject, 55% kicked against ICT being made examinable. They observed it will not be fair for many schools that did not have computers and electricity.

The Team Leader of SavSign, Stephen Agbenyo in a statement said the organisation exist to mainstream ICT training into the formal education system by offering workshops for teachers and students.

He noted that very soon SavSign would organise training workshops for teachers in the Northern Region and urged schools in the area to show interest in the programme.