Pupils of Artur Fischer Catholic Basic School in Apowa in the Ahanta West municipality, of the Western Region will now have the feel of the keyboard and mouse of a computer after studying Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for so many years on blackboards without seeing computers physically.

This was made possible through the benevolence of Yinson Production West Africa Limited when the company commissioned a new computer lab to facilitate the learning of ICT.

The lab fully furnished with 30 desktop computers and accessories, a server, a projector, and a remote-controlled automated electric projector screen will train approximately 3,000 primary and secondary students in the Yinson’s operational area.

Yinson Ghana Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator, Edward Mensah, noted that the lab was built in line with Yinson’s mission to promote quality education and effective learning in all the areas in which it operates.

“ICT skills are increasingly important in modern society, and our children need to have these skills to do well in their studies and be ready to enter the working world. Yinson aims to support and promote STEM studies by equipping students at the Ahanta West Municipality with the necessary tools,” he added.

He further explained the ICT lab built for the Artur Fischer Catholic Basic School is the second Computer Lab Yinson has provided in the Ahanta Municipality, with the first ICT Centre commissioned in 2020 at the Kejabil Municipal Assembly (MA) Junior High School (JHS).

To ensure teachers in charge of teaching ICT are abreast with current trends in their field, Mr. Mensah explained that Yinson holds a bi-monthly ICT class that teaches 14 ICT teachers in the Ahanta West municipality.

Managing director of Yinson Production, Naa Opoku Agyeman, in her speech said the company was working efficiently to achieve seven of the Sustainable Development Goals of which education is a major priority to the company.

She said young people formed the critical workforce for the future development of the country and thus must be equipped with modern technological tools to become more resourceful.

“ICT is very important to your education, as we have recognized this need and fulfilled it, please treat it as yours and take good care of it for students after you also benefit”.

The Municipal Education Director, George Effah, was full of gratitude to Yinson Production for bringing Information and Communication Technology closer to the youth in the district.

He said the recent introduction and implementation of the curriculum for primary and junior high school emphasized the importance of ICT in the education system and the pivotal role it's played.

“The age where ICT was taught in abstract form is over. Our school lacks basic ICT equipment such as computers, laptops, and projectors, to mention a few.  Learners abstractly were thoughts.“

The Ahanta West Municipal Chief Executive, John Agyare on behalf of the community, expressed his appreciation for the project which he believes will expose children of his municipality to the new age of Information and Communication Technology.

He however stressed the need for a maintenance culture which he said would propel the company to continually support other schools in their host community that lacked some educational facilities.