OWASS to become Ghana’s first SMART School – Dr. Adutwum

Opoku Ware Senior High School (OWASS) in Kumasi is set to become Ghana’s first SMART School, under the government’s SMART School project, which aims to revolutionize education in 30 Senior High Schools across the country.

This was announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, during a surprise visit to the school on Sunday, June 2, 2024.

According to Dr. Adutwum, the project will commence in two weeks, with the Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, handing over tablets to the students.

Additionally, SMART boards will be installed in ten classes, marking the beginning of the SMART Project.

Dr. Adutwum explained that the SMART School initiative is a significant step by President Nana Akufo Addo-led government towards advancing e-learning and digitalization within the country’s education space.

Under this project, comprehensive teaching and learning management systems, along with digital educational content, will be provided to senior high and technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions nationwide.

“So very soon, when this school is fully converted into a SMART School, your home assignments, class tests, exams, marking, grading will be done online, and you will get your results instantaneously,” Dr. Adutwum said. Other schools are going to be working with you. Some schools will log into your system and take advantage of your system to learn. They can log into your chemistry class and take part in it."

The Minister also revealed that “the government plans to build more virtual learning High Schools in the country, where students can register and pursue online courses.

He highlighted the progress made in the education sector since the implementation of the Free SHS policy, which has led to a remarkable increase in student intake in Senior High Schools, including a significant increment in the number of girls at the secondary level.

“National student population at the Senior High School, before the introduction of Free SHS policy, stood a little above eight hundred thousand (800,000), but the figure currently stands at one million, four hundred thousand (1.4 million)," Dr. Adutwum said.

He added, “First-year student’s intake at the SHS is currently at Five Hundred and Five Thousand students (505,000).”

Dr. Adutwum also provided regional breakdowns on intake at the SHS, revealing that the Northern Region has a 95% entry rate, followed by the North East and Savanna Regions at 94%, Upper East at 92%, Upper West at 89%, and the Volta Region at 76%.

He assured that measures have been put in place to ensure an upsurge in the number of JHS leavers entering SHS.

“The Free SHS policy has also had a positive impact on girl-child education, as recently, more girls are in Senior High Schools than boys.”

Dr. Adutwum said, “Before the introduction of Free SHS, if you had 100 boys in a school, you would find only 68 girls in that school. But now, if you have 100 boys in a school, you would get 106 girls in the schools.

That is, the boy-girl ratio in school currently stands at 100 boys: 106 girls, a huge improvement in the student-girl population in Senior High Schools. This is one of the good things Free SHS has brought to us.”