Ecobank, the nation’s largest financial services provider, has committed GH¢2.2million to establish digital learning centres across four schools, marking this year’s Ecobank Day celebration.
The initiative, launched over the weekend, has already seen two schools – South Labone Girls Technical Institute in Accra and Potters Village Orphanage in Dodowa – receive fully-equipped computer laboratories. These facilities will serve as digital centres offering specialised training in web development, animation, robotics and artificial intelligence over a six-month period.
The bank has also initiated construction work for similar facilities at Bishop Assuah Catholic Basic School in Takoradi and 4 Garrison Educational Centre in Kumasi, signalling a nationwide approach to digital education enhancement.
Speaking at the event, which was held under the theme ‘Ignite Learning with AI’, Ecobank’s Managing Director Abena Osei-Poku emphasised the initiative’s strategic importance; stating that it forms part of the bank’s contribution to bridge the digital skills gap in Ghana’s basic education sector.
“Ensuring that Ghanaian children are equipped with basic literacy, numeracy and digital skills at an early age will provide them with the right foundation for their future, help them thrive at school, gain skillsets that will prepare them for this rapidly evolving digital age, and broaden their employment and life opportunities,” she said.
The project, implemented in partnership with Ghana Code Club, extends beyond hardware provision. Each beneficiary school received locally authored supplementary readers for upper primary and junior high school students, highlighting the bank’s concurrent focus on traditional literacy alongside digital skills.
Ghana Code Club’s involvement brings technical expertise to the initiative. Its Founder and CEO, Ernestina Appiah, outlined the programme’s transformative potential: “These teachers will play a pivotal role in nurturing creativity and innovation in the classroom, helping their students to become proficient in coding, robotics and artificial intelligence”.
The timing of this investment aligns with the African Union’s declaration of 2024 as the year of education, themed ‘Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century’. It also marks the second year of Ecobank’s three-year ‘Transforming Africa Through Education’ campaign.
Beneficiary institutions have welcomed the initiative. Joseph Attigah, Director for Training Institutions-Department of Social Welfare and Gifty Tepkor, Headmistress-South Labone Girls Technical Institute, both expressed gratitude and committed to maintaining the facilities for future students’ benefit.
This digital education initiative represents the latest in Ecobank’s series of community interventions through its annual Ecobank Day, which has addressed issues ranging from malaria prevention to financial literacy since its inception in 2013.
thebftonline.com
