An ultra-modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory has been inaugurated at the Ho Bankoe Philip-Akpo Memorial Junior High School (JHS) in the Volta Region.
The laboratory, which can accommodate 25 people and valued at GH¢1 million, was funded by the Chinese Embassy and equipped with computers and a projector with full internet connection.
At a brief and colourful ceremony on Tuesday to officially handover the facility to the school, the new Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Sun Baohong, said the facility showed that China would continue to invest in projects to develop Ghana and expressed the hope that the gesture would further deepen the cordial relationship between the two countries.
She said, “China’s foreign aid and cooperation projects place more emphasis on improving the livelihood of people.”
She further disclosed that the ICT laboratory is the first project in Ghana to be implemented under the ‘China-Africa People-to-people Friendly Action’, a programme adopted at the 5th Ministerial Conference of China-Africa cooperation forum in 2012.
The Chinese ambassador also presented 10 footballs and 30 schoolbags to the school for deprived children and pledged China’s continuous commitment to the development of the Volta Region and Ghana.
The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli traditional area, Togbe Afede XIV advised teachers and students to make good use of the facility to enhance their ICT skills and commended the Chinese embassy for the support.
He asked managers of the laboratory to make the facility available for use by other basic schools and interested persons in within the community.
Togbe Afede also tasked managers of the laboratory to install devices on the computers to barred children from accessing ‘inappropriate contents’.
Madam Hellen Ntoso, the Volta regional minister entreated the school authorities to develop a comprehensive maintenance plan to keep the facility in good shape.
Headmistress of the School, Madam Lydia Sedzro expressed gratitude to the Chinese Embassy for investing in the project and assured that both teachers and students would use the facility judiciously.
