The Coral Reef Innovation Lab, an ICT focused organization, has engaged some private schools owners on the Ghana Education Technology Hackathon and information session within the Western Region.
The objective of the Regional Education and technology hackathons was to engage diverse education managers, entrepreneurs, innovators, students, Officials of Ghana Education Service and a range of stakeholders to co-create solutions to challenges faced in the EdTech sector.
The Regional road map would also help private sector education providers become abreast with education Technology, policies and solutions to help imbibe proper ICT in learning.
In 2003, the Government of Ghana (GoG) introduced The Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) Policy.
The policy describes the government’s vision for using ICT to achieve development objectives across 14 thematic priorities that include education, health, agriculture, e-governance, and research and development capacity.
The policy seeks to position Educational Technologies (EdTech) in the broader ICT context in Ghana and emphasizes the cross-cutting nature of ICT efforts.
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While the ICT4AD plan identifies critical implementing partners for each priority, it does not set expectations for coordination across thematic areas to achieve development objectives.
Mr Henry Howard, Executive Member of the Coral Reef Innovation Lab, told the Ghana News Agency that the company was a Technology hub that focused on introducing technology to influence the way people live and do business.
He noted that a hackathon was a tool that focuses on developing a holistic understanding of the problems to be addressed, brainstorming policy solutions and developing them into concrete policy instruments.
He said with a strong focus on driving education through technology, ” we aim to provide all educational centres with digital labs, tool teachers and facilitators with state of the art digital devices, train and resource service providers with the necessary information to deliver world-class education in Ghana and beyond.”
The company, according to him, has partnered with producers of digital devices, software and content providers from all over the world to ensure the integration of cutting edge technologies into education.
The Executive Member added, “Coral Reef Innovation Lab is keen to be the catalyst for improving access to these cutting technologies.”
Participants at the information session and policy hackathon were taken through Coral Reef’s full-stack solutions, including devices for learners and teachers, access points for storing educational content, virtual library, school management systems, coding, robotics and capacity building for staff and teachers, including a financial package from partner banks to enable schools to access tools and solutions.
Mrs Rosemary Ohene Bredu, the Proprietress of Ahenemba International School, expressed optimism at the prospects of the technologies in enhancing learning, teaching, management and education outcomes in general.
Madam Salome Sam, the Western Regional Secretary of the Private Schools Association, said technology became important during the COVID-19 era and stressed the need to acquire equipment and accessories to realize its full potential in the education system.
The information session and policy Hackathons would be held in 16 Regions of the country.
