The Deputy Education Minister says the unavailability of digital devices in households has become a major problem for the country’s education system during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum speaking on ‘Beyond the Lockdown’ on JoyNews on Sunday said it is rather unfortunate that the much needed digital tools needed to ensure the continuation of teaching and learning are sealed in community IT centres and school IT labs instead of at home with the students.

“… the solution that has been provided, the intervention that has been provided, all of a sudden is not available to be used because they are locked up in the classrooms, they are locked up in the community IT centres and students cannot congregate there and use them,” he said.

The lack of access to smartphones, laptops and other tech devices have become topical following closure of schools and other restrictions put in place to contain the Covid-19.

Students are now relying on online platforms to get instruction from their teachers.

However, the migration from the traditional classroom teaching style to the new online and televised teaching styles have faced sharp criticisms from a section of Ghanaians.

There has been an argument that online learning places students in rural areas and those without access to internet and digital devices at a disadvantage.

Dr Adutwum, however, says it has come to a point where government needs to look at finding ways for every household to have access to such devices.