Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has promised to support the ‘One Student-One Laptop’ initiative by the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo.

Speaking at the launch of the programme, Dr. Bawumia said “[he is] going to commit to providing and supporting at least initially, this One Student-One Laptop initiative, with 100 laptops for the students.”

At the event which was held on the theme, ‘Supporting Needy Students in the New Virtual Learning Environment’, about 40 students were awarded with laptops for excelling in an essay competition the institution organised.

The Vice President commended the Vice Chancellor and management of the Business School for their efforts in bridging the inequality gap in higher education.

“In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has transformed teaching and learning from face to face to mainly online and through handheld devices, needy students could be disadvantaged. I commend the Vice Chancellor and Management of the Business School for their efforts to bridge the inequality gap.”

“I urge alumni of University of Ghana to continue supporting their alma mater. Alumni of other institutions of higher learning are also encouraged to do the same for their schools,” he added in a Facebook post after the launch.

One student-One laptop policy

The ‘one student one laptop’ policy was announced during the induction ceremony of Prof Appiah Amfo as the new Vice-Chancellor of the Institution on Tuesday, October 26, 2021.

She said University authorities will “collaborate with established IT companies to provide our students and staff with their own laptop/handheld devices.”

In view of that, she appealed to President Akufo-Addo to waive taxes, thereby making “these devices affordable for our students and staff.”

The policy would form part of the University’s commitment to upscale technology, which is a critical tool in making the staff and students function effectively in the era of technological advancement.

In December 2021, a committee was inaugurated to oversee the implementation of the school’s ‘one student one laptop’ policy.

The committee, chaired by the Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Prof. Peter Quartey, was tasked to explore the possibility of providing laptops at affordable prices for students, staff and faculty of the University.