GIFEC supports Akropong School for the Blind with modern ICT laboratory

The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has commissioned an ultramodern Information and Communications Technology (ICT) laboratory for the Akropong School for the Blind to facilitate the teaching and learning of the subject.

The initiative forms part of efforts by GIFEC to enhance the digital skills of Persons with Disability (PWDs) to make them competitive in the job market and this is in line with government’s digitization agenda.

The programme also promises to technologically equip the visually impaired to reduce their reliance on manual braille devices.

The facility has been equipped with 30 computer desks and seats and 25 desktop computers with Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA), an assistive technology which translates visual information into forms which are useful to users via non-visual means such as text-to-speech and sound icons.

In addition, 25 headphones and 25 UPS were added to expand the opportunities and longevity of the computers.

Commissioning the laboratory, Alhaji Faisal Issahaku Gbanjili, Director, Sustainability and Partnership of GIFEC, said the braille printer has also been refurbished to continue to serve the needs of the students.

He reiterated government’s commitment to an all-inclusive digitization agenda, adding that “government continues to place much credence and recognition on the important contribution of ICT to the economy.”

He said “government in its manifesto promised to modernize, improve and resource special training schools, identify and build the ICT capacities of our brothers and sisters with disabilities”.

The ICT support to the Akropong School for the Blind forms part of GIFEC’s Special Digital Literacy and Inclusive Connectivity Programme.

The programme seeks to deliver over 1,000 digital learning devices to persons with special needs and ultimately socialise learners to digital learning.

"Our expectation is that, this ultra-modern ICT Lab will be used effectively to deliver impeccable digital transformation for our students to enable them compete effectively with their counterpart students elsewhere," he said.