Equip SHS with Smart Boards to enhance efficiency - Government urged

Accra, Dec 09, GNA - Mrs Vivian Biney-Aidoo, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Arts, Accra Technical University(ATU) has urged government to furnish Senior High Schools with smart boards and projectors to enhance teaching and learning.

She said the mode of teaching and learning had changed as a result of improved technology, adding that, this, when done would enable teachers to collaborate to share ideas and resources through online communication, refine their lesson notes to ensure they delivered the best to students and develop lesson notes into proper peer-reviewed textbooks.

Mrs Biney-Aidoo made the call when she delivered a speech as the guest of honour at the 96th Speech and Prize Giving Day ceremony of Accra High School on Saturday.

It was on the theme: "Developing the SHS Graduate for Nation Building: the Role of Stakeholders."

"Some private second cycle institutions in Ghana now use LCD projectors, smart boards and other advanced technological tools to enhance delivery in the classroom and this has the benefit of making work of the teacher, more efficient.

"Students can also be assisted to deliver valuable research skills through the availability of information that relate to their courses of study. This way, the adoption and application of educational technologies can be properly harnessed to significantly improve student achievement," she said.

Mrs Biney-Aidoo, who is also a Senior Lecturer at ATU said the recent surge in student population due to the implementation of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy without corresponding increase in the number of teaching staff, educational resources and facilities impeded the delivery of quality education.

This situation she explained affected the quality of teacher-student contact hours, effective supervision, teaching and the overall quality of output.

She said there was therefore the need for recruitment of new breed of teachers with skills in handling large class sizes, computer literate, abreast with trends of the modern era and who could demonstrate commitment and dedication to quality output.

"There is also the need to expand access to accommodate large numbers of students who are enrolling for SHS education as a result of the implementation of the FSHS policy," she added.

The Dean called on stakeholders to identify their respective roles in the delivery of quality SHS education and collaborate their efforts to complement that of government to ensure this became a reality.

While commending management of Accra High School for its enormous contribution towards education in the country, Madam Biney-Aidoo admonished students to make reading a necessity in order to broaden their knowledge base.

Ms Monica Ankrah, the Greater Accra Regional Director of Ghana Education Service entreated students to take advantage of the FSHS policy to secure their future and to contribute their quota towards national development.

Mr Emmanuel Kobina Baidoo, the Headmaster of the school appealed to stakeholders to support the school to put up a boarding facility to accommodate the ever growing students' population size.

He said even though the school recently received an 18-units classroom infrastructure from government, with additional 12-units classroom block currently under construction, boarding facilities and teachers ‘flat remained a challenge for the management of the school.

"The lack of boarding facility at the school contributes to the lateness of students to school, therefore, we believe that when our students stay and study on our campus under the supervision of our teachers their academic performance will greatly improve."

Accra High School was founded on August 17, 1923 with eight students, but currently has a student population of about 2600 and offers six courses: General Science, Business, Technical, Home Economics, General Arts and Visual Arts.

GNA