Teachers Group Boos Deputy Education Minister, Snubs Him Over 'One Teacher, One Laptop' Policy

• The Ghana National Association of Teachers walked out on Deputy Education Minister Prof. Kingsley Nyarko during a meeting
• The teachers are upset with the implementation of the controversial 'One Teacher, One Laptop' project
• During the annual national council meeting in Kumasi, some teachers and GNAT council members booed Nyarko

The National Council of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) walked out on Deputy Education Minister, Prof. Kingsley Nyarko, due to concerns about the 'One Teacher, One Laptop' project.

Their concerns were centred around the government's alleged failure to deliver on its promise to provide a laptop to each teacher across the country.

During the annual national council meeting in Kumasi, some teachers and GNAT council members booed Nyarko and prevented him from delivering his speech.

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Joy News reported that the teachers further demanded that the government fulfil its 'One Teacher, One Laptop' initiative.

"Over two and a half years now, some of our members haven't received their laptops," one teacher said.

According to the teachers, absence of the laptops is impacting teaching and learning, especially in remote areas.

The group gave the government a week to deal with their concerns.

'One Teacher, One Laptop' previously sparked outrage

Under the policy, the government deducted 30 percent of teachers’ salaries for the 'one teacher, one laptop' project.

The teachers claimed over 50,000 of their colleagues nationwide had not received laptops despite paying for them.

The teachers have in the past protested because of the policy. The Ghana Education Service also detected fraud in the implementation of the policy.

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The service said the names submitted for the free laptops included fake identities, including those of non-teaching staff and retired or separated staff.

Concerns over quality of laptops

YEN.com.gh also reported that a Ghanaian teacher who received one of the new laptops has shared a video of it malfunctioning.

In the video, the teacher showed that it was nearly impossible for the laptop to boot up only two days after he claimed he received it.

The state had earlier said that the provided TM1 laptop is a world-class device built to inspire learning and superior performance.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh