Intel Corporation launches new learning programme

Accra, May 28, GNA - Intel Corporation on Thursday launched its localized digital education content platform - skooolT.com.gh in Accra in line with its continued effort to provide students with the crucial tools to succeed in the global arena. The launch which formed part of Intel World Ahead programme is collaboration between Intel and the Ministries of Education, Science and Sports and Communication.

Will Swope, Vice president and General Manager, Corporate Affairs Group, Intel Corporation, said the interactive teaching platform fitted within the action points taken at the on-going e-Learning Africa conference in Accra.

About 1,500 participants from 83 countries are attending the conference, which created the platform for both international and local experts to share and compare experience in order to upscale the implementation of e-Learning across the continent. He said the programme would provide advanced learning and teaching technologies to students and educators alike.

"The knowledge economy is a reality. We now have the opportunity to create and cultivate knowledge and the capability to advance social and economic well-being in Ghana," he said. He said for 40 years, Intel had been committed to helping students around the world gain access to the right tools to succeed in the knowledge economy.

"We work with local governments to make this happen and we are honoured that the Ghanaian authorities have chosen us as a partner in their continuous effort to bridge the digital divide and ensure future success for the country and its people," he added. skooolT.com.gh offers maths and science modules tailored to the new Ghana Education Service curriculum, and could greatly benefit all junior and senior high schools in the country by providing local content and international teaching standards. Dr Benjamin Aggrey, Minister of communication, announced that the first phase of the National Communication Backbone Project had been completed and was undergoing testing to ensure its efficiency for service providers using the resource to provide quality service to all parts of the economy.

He said the project together with a proposed WiMAX project in collaboration with Intel, would complement the efforts of Government and it was expected to make broadband connectivity easy to deploy to the less privileged communities making internet more accessible and affordable to all Ghanaians.

".I believe that for a student in Ghana, potentially there is no difference between him and the counterpart in any part of the world if he has a PC with internet access, adequate training and has the right content," he said Dr Aggrey said the launch to complement Government's efforts of promoting ICT in education was welcome news and the maths and science content deployed on the website had been fully localized to make it more relevant to students in Ghana.

He therefore urged all heads of schools and educators to encourage their students to use the math and science content on the website and also take full advantage of the Government's initiatives to bridge the digital divide.

The Minister also urged Intel to make available the content on CDs for distribution to schools that have computer labs but with no internet connectivity yet. exams.