An ultramodern library and ICT centre boasting of full internet connectivity and teachers’ common room has been commissioned for the New Juaben Senior High School at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
The 602,000-cedi facility financed by the MTN Foundation, replaces the poorly ventilated library that was stocked with obsolete books and give the students and teachers the opportunity enhance their digital knowledge, .
The new library with a 200 seating capacity and the 20-seater ICT centre, is expected to both students and the teaching staff a better learning and teaching environment.
For five years, Huawei, partners for the project, will bear the cost of the high speed internet being provided at the facility.
The commissioning of the facility brings to 144, projects funded by the MTN Foundation totalling 33 million cedis.
Of the 144 projects across the country, 82 are in the educational sector, 26 ICT centres and four libraries.
“I believe this would give you the opportunity to learn in a different way to expand your digital knowledge about how things happen in different parts of the world and be part of that revolution,” Chief Executive MTN Ghana Selorm Adadevoh, said.
He said one of the biggest skills needed in the work how to use tools online.
The CEO said MTN’s vision is to lead a delivery of a bold new digital world, hence the Foundation’s decision to provide the library and ICT centre for the school, which he said “means a lot to us”.
Girls’ prefect for the school, Julliene Edusei, recounted the enduring moments the school had using the old library due to poor ventilation, inadequate facilities and obsolete books.
“The small size of the library resulted in poor ventilation,” she said, adding “most of the books were obsolete, so many students showed little interest in reading them”.
She was happy the new library and ICT centre would provide them a new learning experience and improve academic performance.
“We have a library, ICT section and enough space to operate, read research and even do our assignment which would in a long way improve our academics performance,” She added.
The prefect urged the chiefs and stakeholders to complement the gesture of MTN by proving air condition to keep the computers in good condition all year round.
The Librarian of the School, Barikusu Adams, was happy that students can now make good use of their library periods.
“We are elated, we do have library periods and at a time we have about six classes having to use the library. The old library couldn’t even take 30 students at a time, but with this one, students can come to read and research well.
Headmaster of the school, Frank Obeng Wilson commended MTN for delivering on their promise.
“MTN Foundation Ghana promised to give us this facility in a stipulated time and indeed they have stood by their word. We used to use some building for a library shared by the stores, students and teachers reluctantly,” he said.
By Yvonne Neequaye|3news.com|Ghana