Five-hundred and sixty pupils from selected Junior High Schools including school leavers in the Kumasi Metropolis are benefitting from a one-month free training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The training is an initiative of the Otumfuo-Agroecom Mobile Library Project (OAMLP) aimed at meaningfully occupying the beneficiaries during the long-vacation to prevent them from loitering.

It is also to equip them with practical skills for the ICT lessons they had in school, but did not have the opportunity to learn the practical aspect due to either lack of computers or ample time.

Agroecom Ghana Ltd, a leading licensed cocoa buying company, in June 2017, signed an MOU and presented a cheque for an amount of GHC1.4 million to the Otumfuo Charity Foundation at the Manhyia palace in Kumasi.

It is meant to support the operations of the Otumfuo Mobile Library project for four years.

The amount also covers the payment of allowances of 30 staff of the Otumfuo Charity Foundation during the four year project period, whiles also aiding the procurement of a pickup, a cargo van, 60 laptops, a generator, two projectors and screens, a video camera.

The collaborative project is also linked at enhancing the teaching and learning facilities in cocoa growing communities to deepen the pupils’ enlightenment on cocoa farming to help preserve their knowledge of the glorious history of the Asante kingdom.

Agroecom Ghana Ltd since its operations from 2013, has invested close to $ 40 million to provide clean drinking water, better school facilities and health care to improve the living conditions of people in rural communities where cocoa is produced.

Mr Seth Hammond, Administrative Manager of Agroecom, told the Ghana News Agency that the private sector’s role in the development and promotion of education was crucial in national development.

Topics to be treated include Microsoft office, excel, internet issues and others which are relevant to their studies and level of education.

He said as part of its corporate social responsibility, Agroecom Ghana has been supporting various communities with projects like water systems, health facilities and equipment, school projects and supplies as well as other development initiatives, especially to deprived communities.

Mr Hammond urged the students to take advantage of the opportunity to enhance their understanding of ICT.

Dr Thomas Agyarku-Poku, Executive Director of the Otumfuo Charity Foundation, lauded Agroecom Ghana for the support which, he said would go a long way to enhance the nation’s education.

He said since the inception of the Otumfuo mobile library project, children in parts of Ashanti, Bono, Ahafo and Bono East and parts of the Volta regions have benefitted from ICT training.

The focus was to improve learning conditions of children by providing basic academic resources such as reading books and computer lessons (ICT) to pupils in primary, junior and senior high schools.

Dr Agyarku-Poku urged teachers to take advantage of the opportunity to train themselves in computer skills to improve delivery in classrooms.