ATC Ghana has commissioned a digital community centre for the Kpembe M/A Junior High School in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah region.
The facility is aimed at improving the digital literacy of the pupils.
Speaking at the opening of the centre at Kpembe, ATC Regional Manager of the Northern Zone, Chief Salifu Abdallah, said the learning centre is expected to provide access to ICT services and training to the basic school pupils.
He said the establishment of the digital community centre is one of the key flagship initiatives in the company’s quest to drive the development of highly skilled professionals for Ghana’s telecommunication industry.
“The provision of this digital centre will help train and sustain the provision of its services as the leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure that supports network connectivity, hence the need to strategically position the digital communities to pique the interest of pupils in ICT at a young age,” he explained.
“We will continue to strive to do more. ATC has done 19 of the ICT labs in 19 communities across the country, but this is the first in the Savannah Region,” he stated.
Member of Parliament for Salaga South Constituency, Hajia Zuweira Ibrahima applauded ATC for being concerned about the quality of education in the East Gonja municipality.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that the advent of the internet has changed so many things and indeed the impact is seen in every facet of our lives. I have had a passion for education and that passion never quenches. I want to assure you that I will do everything humanly possible to ensure ICT education is made accessible to every child in the municipality,” she assured.
She bemoaned the challenges associated with lack of electricity and ICT services for school children in rural communities.
“Indeed, when I have the opportunity to speak on ICT education, I draw the lines that it is most unfair for children in rural communities who do not have access to basic ICT facilities writing the same exams with their counterparts in urban areas who have everything at their disposal.”
She appealed to ATC to support more communities within the Kafaba zone with internet connectivity.
Hajia Zuweira also pledged to provide 24-hour security to the facility from her share of the MPs Common Fund.
For her part, East Gonja Municipal Director of Education Christiana Maabo Donau, on behalf of the directorate and the school expressed gratitude to ATC for the gesture.
She admonished the pupils to make good use of the facility.
The faculty has computer learning centres that utilises uninterrupted power supply and broadband connection from its towers to provide access to network connectivity.
Since 2018, ATC has completed such fully equipped centres in areas such as Battor, Savelugu, Asuom, Jamasi, Bawdua, Berekum, Akontombra among others.