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SchoolNet Africa in Ghana
SNA was represented in Ghana at the Africa Source preparatory workshop by its Projects Officer, Dr Hillar Addo.
The objectives of the workshop were to:
- Decide on a West African country to host the Summer Source workshop
- Work on a programme for the workshop
- Agree on Partners
- Decide on an agenda etc...
Present were the OSI ICT team, OSIWA, OSISA, Tachtical Tech, Wougnet from Uganda, Translate.org.za from SA, APC from SA, SNA, and Fantsuam foundation from Nigeria.
The value of Africa source summer workshop to SNA will be to:
- Promote FOSS platforms i.e. balance with others
- Build capacity of schoolnets that want to use oss
- Identify partners for roll-out oss platforms
- Seek support for oss school projects
- Build a network of FOSS teachers
- Identify FOSS tools for content development
I had talks with Ben Akoh of OSIWA and plans to set up a satellite office, which will be located in West Africa are in the pipeline.
I also had a number of meetings with the role players in SchoolNet Ghana and visited a school. Preparations are underway to launch a schoolnet Ghana possibly in November. The Ghana Education service will be the main implementing agency and a Champion has been identified to manage the entity. The ministry of Education will provide policy support as well as monitor the process.
A visit to the West Africa Secondary School (WASS) provided evidence that  much was happening on ground regarding ICT in education in Schools. Parents had donated a set of 25 brand new computers replacing the non functioning World Links computers that the school had used over the last 4-5 years. It is one of the first schools where seven teachers teach their lessons from the new computer lab daily. The Educators are ever present to assist learners while they undertake their administration tasks using the computer programs available. WASS boasts of one of the ATN members Mr. Ahugah-able to complete his activities wholly online without the EDN training platform.
The Picture shows the computer lab with Ms. Victoria Afrifa, a French teacher assisting a number of learners.
Source: SchoolNet Africa
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