On Wednesday, 9th June , GTBANK handed over a fully refurbished and stocked computer laboratory to the Atonsu M/A Cluster of schools to assist the students
A huge investment into the facility; covering the cost of building the laboratory, and providing electronic equipment, furniture for the main lab and other infrastructure. This includes 41 working computers with accessories, printers, projector , bathroom as well as providing internet access.
What it means for the bank is, for every community or region they find themselves in, they have to impact the people beyond the branch they set up. So as part of that thought and initiative, they are guided and compelled by that to do this.
This handing over ceremony had in attendance the Akwamu Hene of Atonsu, Divisional Head, General Internal Services Iris Ritcher- Addo (GT BANK) ,Mrs. Agnes Owusu – Afram ( Divisional head, Corporate Communication & Experience, GT BANK) , Mr. joseph Baffoe Boni (Group Head for Commercial & retail Business, A/R ,GT BANK), MCE, Hon Akwanuasah Gyima, Municipal Director Of Education (MDE) Rev , Ebenezer Oteng Marfo , Headmaster, Atonsu JHS A , Mr. Ben Ameyaw , Headmaster, Atonsu JHS B, Mr. Owusu Adansi, Headmistress Atonsu Primary A, Madam Sarah Acheampong and Headmistress for Atonsu Primary ,Madam Felicia Darko Dapaah and representative from the NGO which constructed the building (Light for children) in person of Mr. Mike Owusu Gyimah, Programs coordinator
Mrs. Agnes Owusu – Afram ( Divisional head, Corporate Communication & Experience) in her address made mention that the purpose of the Lab is to aid ICT education & learning and also for the kids to commence every programme on the academic syllabus in terms of ICT.
The Headmaster for Atonsu JHS A ,MR. Ben Ameyaw, who spoke on behalf of the other headmasters and recalled chasing MPs & MCEs to get them a befitting IT centre for their cluster of schools for years. He was marveled at the gesture from the Bank.
Also, Rev. Ebenezer Oteng Marfo Municipal Director Of Education (MDE) touched on the essence of ICT education in our educational system, and asked the NGO building (Light for children) to help complete a similar project for the Gyenase M/A primary to also see the light of day.
He hinted on a collaboration with the Bank and other organizations in setting up an award scheme for teachers in the sector.
“One of the things on my hands is to ensure a well motivated teaching force and I want to place this on record that, no policy or machinery can match a well motivated human resource.
So I want to partner with you and other stakeholders that we would institute the best teacher award scheme in the municipality, plans are far advanced to put the committee together. So when they call on you, you will come to our aid to support us.”
Divisional Head, General Internal Services Iris Ritcher- Addo also touched on the project which they call the ‘gateway to a great future’ after they received calls from the cluster of schools with a 1,880 students population for assistance with their ICT Lab, responding to that call that sets the stage to impact the next generation of our future leaders.
She sighted that GT bank as part of its CSR has chosen to invest in effective teaching & learning of ICT in basic schools across the country.
“The world as we all know is largely driven by technology and if we didn’t believe it, Covid-19 and it’s disruption that it brought to businesses, education and to our lives generally has shown us that technology is truly important.
Whiles some schools & businesses were able to transition seamlessly online, other struggled and some never even made it until we had the opportunity to reopen physical schooling,” she added.
She believes that the fully refurbished computer lab will put students of Atonsu M/A cluster of schools on the same competitive platform as students from supposedly big schools in Ghana and beyond.
”I’m charging students and students alike to make effective use of this lab, learn how to use it to access information available to them on the internet to spur you to the next level.
From GTBANK, we can only assure you of our continued support for some of these initiatives, but when we leave here today, the rest is up to you the students to make sure that this lab does not become a white elephant, but made very good use of and kept very well.”
MCE, Hon Akwanuasah Gyima was much interested in the issue of maintenance, suggested they set aside a budget if they must to keep the lab in good condition all the time.
Mrs. Agnes Owusu – Afram ( Divisional head, Corporate Communication & Experience) speaking on the sidelines briefed reporters about taking over from the building which was in a fairly good state, but with only a few damaged computers found on student desks.
It wasn’t a lab you could work with in terms of teaching and learning.
Mrs. Agnes made them aware they have done other CSR’s in the past, but within the last 36 months, they have focused on ICT for the future generation, and they have chosen the public schools which they feel the impact will be more felt and would have the need than the private schools
” Cost is endless because we are still going to support in terms of maintenance, but am unable to put an absolute cost to it because we are still incurring cost around it.
I will entreat with them to go through the syllabus and pick what ICT entails and allow the kids to learn with it and not leave it for them to browse anywhere on the Internet in the name of computer.
It is meant to support the G.E.S process and not as one of any internet café.
Once they go by the educational syllabus, there is a high tendency that it will be maintained accordingly.”
Teachers and student were pleaded with to use the lab for what it’s there for so that there would not to much cost in terms of management
