Category: Literacy

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has ordered and provided financial support for the construction of 5,280 Dual Desk furniture to support 66 schools in the West Mamprusi Municipality. This was after a request made to him by the Municipal Assembly, in collaboration with the West Mamprusi Municipal Education Oversight Committee, to support some of the schools in the municipality. This was in a statement issued by Mr Arimeyaw Somo Lucky Basintale, the MCE for Walewale, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday. The Vice President, in his response to the request, directed the West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly to construct 5,280 Dual Desks to support about 10,000 pupils in various schools in the municipality. It was the second time the Vice President had supported education with furniture for the past three years, as he gave 1,000 Dual Desks in 2022 to the District Assembly for distribution. The 66 schools to benefit from the 5,280 Dual Desks include the following: 1. Janga Mozu M/A Basic 2. Nasia D/A Bas ic school 3. Guabuluga RC 4. Kparigu Marikaz 5. Duu M/A KG/ PRIMARY 6. Tiya KG/PRIMARY 7. Bugya MA PRIMARY 8. Wale2 Presby PRIMARY A 9. Walewale MA PRIMARY B 1 10. Daboya NO.2 MA PRIMARY 11. Kukua NO. 2 Basic school 12. Tinguri RC PRIMARY 13. Zangum Basic school 14. Wulugu Albakaria 15. Wulugu MA JHS 16. Nabari MA PRIMARY 17. Kparipiri MA PRIMARY 18. Nayorku MA PRIMARY 19. Walewale Tawhidia EA KG 20. Manga MA PRIMARY 21. Nakpaya MA PRIMARY 22. Bugya MA JHS 23. Nayorku Imam Husein EA 24. Gbimsi St. Anthony RC Primary 25. Walewale St Paul RC Primary 26. Walewale DA JHS 27. Nasiria Tampulugu EA Primary 28. Yama Marikaz EA KG/PRIMARY 29. Sariba MA KG/PRIMARY 30. Diani Presby Basic school 31. Kurugu MA Basic 32. Loagri EA Basic 33. Zangu yakura.Basic 34. Zangu Vuga MA Basic 35. Watania JHS 36. Bulbia MA KG PRIMARY 37. Nameyela MA PRIMARY 38. Jarigbani RC Primary 39. Loagri Kukua RC JHS 40. Suhuluya MA KG/PRIMARY 41. Dibisi D/A Basic 42. Walewale Marikaz EA KG/PRIMARY 43. Gb imsi MA JHS 44. Hamdariya EA JHS 45. Kperiga Presby JHS 46. Jamiatu EA KG/PRIMARY 47. Walewale L/A B JHS 48. wungu MA PRIMARY A1 KG 49. Wungu MA PRIMARY A2 50. Fio MA KG/PRIMARY 51. Shelinvoya MA PRIMARY 52. Walewale MA PRIMARY A2 School 53. Wungu Marakaz EA Primary 54. Wulugu MA PRIMARY A School 55. Wulugu MA PRIMARY B 56. Guabuluga St. Michael's JHS 57. Boamasa MA KG/Primary 58. Arigu DA Primary A and JHS 59. Wulugu Zaami MA PRIMARY 60. Suguru RC JHS B 61. Walewale MA PRIMARY A1 62. Gbani RC Primary 63. Tianoba MA KG PRIMARY 64. Kuyisiga DA JHS 65. Gbeo MA KG/PRIMARY 66. Wulugu Ranch KG/PRIMARY The Vice President also directed that local artisans from the municipality should be engaged to do the work to boost local economic development. He also directed the Ministry of Education to aid the remaining schools with furniture challenges in the district. Source: Ghana News Agency

Professor Fred McBagonluri, the President of the Academic City University College, has called on stakeholders to harness the power of data science and analytics to unlock new frontiers of innovation and drive sustainable growth. He said, 'as we stand on the threshold of a new era of possibilities, let us embrace the opportunities that lie ahead with optimism and determination.' Prof McBagonluri was speaking at the launch of a Graduate Programme in Data Science and Analytics by the Academic City University College in Accra. The two-year MSC Programme is set to train students to apply data science techniques for problem-solving and decision-making in real-world scenarios. The programme would also build the students' expertise in analytic tools, independent problem-solving, and cross-industry applications. He said the launch of the Programme signified the University's commitment to embracing the future with open arms and it was a testament of their belief in the power of data to drive meaningful change and create lasting impact. 'With this endeavour, we aim to not only stay ahead of the curve but to redefine the very landscape of our industry,' he added. The President said as they embarked on this journey, 'we must remain vigilant in upholding the highest standards of ethics and integrity and we must ensure that the data we analyze is used responsibly and ethically, respecting the privacy and rights of individual s at all times.' Prof McBagonluri said data science was not merely a buzzword, but it was a discipline that empowered them to extract meaningful patterns and trends from vast volumes of data and it would equip them with the tools and techniques to delve deep into the intricacies of information, and uncovering hidden gems that could drive innovation and growth. He said in this era of rapid technological advancement, data had become the lifeblood of businesses and organisations across the globe, and it held the power to unlock invaluable insights, drive informed decision-making and fuel transformativ e change. 'Recognising this we have embarked on a mission to harness the full potential of data through the lens of data science and analytics,' he added. Mr David Gowu, the Executive Director of the Institute of ICT Professionals, said data science and analytics were a Catalyst for capacity building and beyond national development. He urged stakeholders to explore how this programme would significantly contribute to building the capacity of ICT professionals in Ghana and across Africa. He said the Programme would equip ICT professionals with cutting-edge skills and by mastering data science techniques, they would become good at extracting insights from complex data sets. He said these professionals would drive innovation, enhance decision-making, and contribute to the digital transformation of public and private organizations. Mr Gowu said the Programme would help close the skills gap, where Africa faced a significant skills gap in data science and analytics. 'By offering this programme, we bridge tha t gap, and graduates will possess the expertise needed to tackle real-world challenges, from optimizing supply chains to predicting disease outbreaks,' he added. Source: Ghana News Agency

The government has agreed to pay the outstanding lump sum of teachers who retired from January 2020 to December 31, 2020. It has also promised to remit all union dues deductions from January 2024 to March 2024 into the accounts of the unions by April 27, 2024. Mr Thomas Musah, the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra after a takeholder meeting on issues affecting their welfare. The stakeholders include the Ministry of Finance, the Controller and Accountant General, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations. Mr Musah said the retired teachers, about 5,000, from January 2020 to December 2020 were shortchanged regarding the lump sum. He said based on the calculations; the government was expected to pay approximately GHC 56 million to settle the outstanding arrears. Mr Musah said the meeting set up a five-member technical committee to conduct feasibilit y studies on the data of teachers relating to tier two pension contributions, past credit issues, and the implementation of the GLICO report, among others. He said the committee was expected to submit the report before May 1, 2024, to resolve the issues concerning their conditions of service. Three pre-tertiary teacher unions called off their two-week nationwide strike over poor conditions of service on March 20, 2024. The decision to end the strike was after the National Labour Commission obtained an interim injunction to halt the industrial action, thereby facilitating the commencement of negotiations. The unions are the GNAT, the National Association of Graduate Teachers, and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Kwamina Asomaning, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, has advised that the country's academic curriculum be designed to meet the needs of industry players. Mr Asomaning underscored the importance of ensuring that the curriculum was in line with the needs of industry players to ensure that students were equipped to make positive contributions in the professional space. The Chief Executive made the call at the launch of Academics, Business and Administration Forum (ABAF) in Accra. 'At Stanbic Bank, we currently collaborate with some American universities to address industry needs. 'They send their students to us to elicit key challenges that need solutions. These are then factored into the training that the schools offer their students. 'The projects address specific business or management issues with the students assigned to projects based on their interests, qualifications, and experience,' he said. He said 'while the students gained invaluable practical international experience, we received high -quality professional consulting services under faculty supervision. Is it possible for academia in Ghana to adopt such an initiative?' Mr Asomaning commended the organisers for the initiative and encouraged them in their efforts to raise future-ready students. 'I want to emphasise the importance of involving students and youth in our discussions. They are the innovators of our country, and their voices and perspectives are invaluable. Let's create opportunities for them to learn, grow, and contribute to our collective effort.' Stanbic Bank over the years has shown support to academia through various initiatives. Last year, the Bank donated 50 laptops to the University of Ghana in support of the Vice Chancellor's 'One Student One Laptop' initiative. The Bank collaborated with the 'Women in STEM Ghana' to train, equip and inspire 200 girls from 23 senior high schools to learn and develop their skills and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Many other educational institutions ha ve benefited from the Bank's STEM-focused interventions, including KNUST, Takoradi Technical University, Sunyani School of Professional Studies, and the Blessed Holy Child Academy. ABAF is a platform dedicated to the promotion of synergies between academia and industry for effective development. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Kwamina Asomaning, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, has advised that the country's academic curriculum be designed to meet the needs of industry players. Mr Asomaning underscored the importance of ensuring that the curriculum was in line with the needs of industry players to ensure that students were equipped to make positive contributions in the professional space. The Chief Executive made the call at the launch of Academics, Business and Administration Forum (ABAF) in Accra. 'At Stanbic Bank, we currently collaborate with some American universities to address industry needs. 'They send their students to us to elicit key challenges that need solutions. These are then factored into the training that the schools offer their students. 'The projects address specific business or management issues with the students assigned to projects based on their interests, qualifications, and experience,' he said. He said 'while the students gained invaluable practical international experience, we received high -quality professional consulting services under faculty supervision. Is it possible for academia in Ghana to adopt such an initiative?' Mr Asomaning commended the organisers for the initiative and encouraged them in their efforts to raise future-ready students. 'I want to emphasise the importance of involving students and youth in our discussions. They are the innovators of our country, and their voices and perspectives are invaluable. Let's create opportunities for them to learn, grow, and contribute to our collective effort.' Stanbic Bank over the years has shown support to academia through various initiatives. Last year, the Bank donated 50 laptops to the University of Ghana in support of the Vice Chancellor's 'One Student One Laptop' initiative. The Bank collaborated with the 'Women in STEM Ghana' to train, equip and inspire 200 girls from 23 senior high schools to learn and develop their skills and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Many other educational institutions ha ve benefited from the Bank's STEM-focused interventions, including KNUST, Takoradi Technical University, Sunyani School of Professional Studies, and the Blessed Holy Child Academy. ABAF is a platform dedicated to the promotion of synergies between academia and industry for effective development. Source: Ghana News Agency