Minority requests information on the government’s “one pupil, one tablet” programme

The Minority Leader of Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has asked the Minister of Education to provide Parliament with details of the GH¢740 million allocated for the provision of tablets to Senior High School (SHS) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students.

He said it was important for a policy document to be brought before Parliament to enable MPs to know the processes involved and the coverage plan for the programme.

Dr Forson was speaking in Accra on Wednesday.

“A special SHS TVET digitisation innovation programme of GH¢740 million is what has been allocated here. My argument has to be for us to reinforce it while we ensure that government presents to us a policy on this matter for us to understand the procurement processes, the cost per unit and all of that-the report did not capture that.”

“It is important for me to state that in the coming days, it is important for the Minister responsible for education to bring that policy before us in terms of distribution. Are they going to cover half of the country now, or they are going to cover the entire country over a period of time,” he stated.

The government has allocated GH¢740 million for the provision of tablets to Senior High Schools and Technical, Vocational, and Education Training (TVET) students.

According to the government, these tablets will come fully loaded with all the recommended e-textbooks, the complete syllabus, past questions, and examiner reports, as well as other teaching aids.

This programme aims to reduce the expenses associated with purchasing textbooks and to better equip students for the digital age.

In response to a report on the proposed formula for the distribution of the Ghana Education Trust Fund, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, emphasized demanded the appearance of the education minister before the house to provide details of the intended programme.