Probe cost of 280,000 laptops for teachers – Group petitions CHRAJ

A petition has been filed at the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) against the Ministry of Education over procurement of some 280,000 TM1 branded laptops for teachers in public schools across Ghana.

Two teacher groups, Innovative Teachers and All Teachers Alliance Ghana want CHRAJ to find out if the Ministry of Education breached procurement laws while awarding the contract for the supply of the devices.

President Akufo-Addo announced in his State of the Nation Address that the government will procure some 280,000 TM1 laptops for teachers to augment their work.

“I’m happy to announce that the government is facilitating the acquisition of 280,000 laptops for the members of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition for Concerned Teachers (CCT) this year”, President Akufo-Addo said.

“I acknowledge the teacher is at the centre of every reform in the field of educated,” the president added.

Per the deal, the government will pay 70% of the cost of GHC1,550 with the teachers’ paying 30% through deductions from their salaries.

The group alleged in their petition they sense acts of corruption in the deal adding that the cost of each of the laptops may have been inflated.

“Our issue has to do with the fact that the number of laptops produced is 280,000… This ought to have resulted in reduced price for government and teachers and by this cost we suspect that it has been inflated and we want CHRAJ to investigate by calling for documentation”, founder of Innovative Teachers, Stephen Desu said.

“We have a track record called RLG laptops. All those laptops broke down beyond repairs. How can they [Ministers and MPs] buy Apple and HP laptops to use and when it comes to teachers they want to give TM1 laptops…We are not against that policy but it wasn’t thought through”, he further added.