Ghana ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee

The National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee had a public lecture at the Ghana Secondary School, Tamale on Friday 23rd May 2003 as part of the National Consultative exercise aimed at developing an ICT-driven socio-economic development policy and plan.

A presentation was made by Mr. Mohammed Sani-Abdulai, Member of the National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee on the topic: 'The Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development Process: The Challenge of Our Time'.

The forum was attended by the Headmaster, Staff and Students of the School as well as the media.

There is the need to deploy ICT facilities in the educational institution especially in the remote areas. ICT must be introduced from the Basic to the Tertiary level.

It is important to address policy issues relating to human resource development and the deployment of ICTs within the educational system.

The ICT process must be extended to the remotest part of the country to create the awareness and the need for ICT for socio-economic development.

The right environment must be created for locals to produce the required ICT technologies for the acceleration of the economy.

The Government must update the laws governing the use of telecommunication to make it more accommodating to embrace ICT.

To benefit fully from ICT, the Government must address the issue of accessibility of ICT to the average Ghanaian.

There is the need to make computers and its accessories more affordable for the middle-income earner, to afford more people the opportunity to use ICT.

There is the need to change the curriculum of the educational system. ICT must be inculcated in the educational system from the Basic to the Tertiary levels.

To reap the full benefit of ICT, the country must attach a lot of seriousness to it as has been given the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

There is the need to make computer science applicable to every subject being taught in the schools.

It is important for all to accept and embrace ICT as the only way forward in order to cross the digital river.

It is important for the Government to put in the necessary measures to ensure effective inter-relation among the various schools to achieve the necessary level of learning and co-ordination as well as the sharing of information.

There is the need to train qualified personnel to take up the task of teaching in the educational institutions.

It is important to make the training of ICT an integral part of the Teacher Training Colleges.

ICT would be more accessible to the ordinary Ghanaian if the Government were responsible for the sale of Computer and its accessories in order to make it more affordable to the ordinary Ghanaian.

There is the need to create an ICT department in all schools in the rural areas.

There is the need to make computers and its accessories available in all schools especially schools in the rural areas.

It is important to extend telecommunication facilities as well as electricity to the rural areas since ICT is largely dependent on these facilities.

To increase computer literacy in the country, computer training schools and community centers must be established in all regions and districts to increase access to computers.