E-library project to leapfrog Ghana’s literacy level – Ministry
The Ministry of Education acting in partnership with the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), has launched the ‘Mobile Library Project’ for Ghana’s northern sector, at a ceremony in Kumasi.
This is to accelerate the pace of literacy which would lead to an informed society to aid Ghana’s development agenda.
The Project is operated via digital mobile vans equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to enable users have access to online books for reading, references, research and other literacy programmes.
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Deputy Minister of Education, in an address, justified the government’s huge investment in education over the years and said the aim was to ensure an inclusive and equitable access to education.
The government, he said, in an effort to broaden the knowledge base of the citizenry would continue to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Adult literacy rate of Ghana, according to the Education Ministry, increased from 57.9 per cent in 2000 to 76.6 per cent in 2015, growing at an average annual rate of 15.30 per cent.
Dr. Adutwum, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, cited implementation of the ‘Free Senior High School (SHS)’ and other pro-poor educational programmes, which had seen significant increase in student enrollment in the last two years.
He lauded the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) for providing laptops to equip vans designated for the Project.
The Deputy Minister observed that the only way the nation could overcome her development deficiencies was through quality education delivery, research and technology.
Mr. Abraham Kofi Asante, Administrator of GIFEC, hinted that his outfit had designed periodic capacity-building programmes for their staff.
This is to equip them with skills relevant for the management and operation of the digital libraries.
Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), said the Metropolitan Assembly was happy to have been associated with the event in view of the critical role the library concept played in shaping and improving the thoughts of the people.
Source: GNA