Accra, Oct. 5, GNA - Accelon Ghana, a broadband via satellite service provider in Africa, is partnering with Standard Trust Bank Ghana Limited, one of the latest financial institutions in the country, to provide internet connectivity to basic and secondary schools in Ghana.

The package under the brand name, "The e-Educational Package" is an initiative designed to facilitate the creation of computer laboratories in educational institutions to provide Internet access and connectivity. This would be made possible through a flexible loan scheme for interested basic and secondary schools, provided by Standard Trust Bank and complemented by the technical and infrastructure support of Accelon Ghana for broadband internet connectivity.

Mr Fred S. Moturi, West Africa Regional Managing Director, Accelon, said investment in education was of paramount importance to ensure sustainable growth in Ghana's Information Communication Technology (ICT).

He said low cost Internet connectivity provided an effective means to achieve this objective.

"The benefit to be derived are many and varied," he said, adding interested schools would benefit from free web design and hosting, free domain name registration, free e-mail account and cost effective broadband internet access via VSAT anywhere in Ghana.

Mr Moturi said in 2004, Accelon successfully executed the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) online initiative that made it the first examination body to accept registration of examinations online. "With WAEC online, it became imperative for schools that participated in all WAEC conducted examinations to move from paper-based registration to online registration," he said.

Accelon, Mr Moturi said, was also the NEPAD e-school connectivity partner for West Africa having provided access to 12 schools across the Region - Ghana, Mali, Gabon and Kenya.

Mr Obeanhon Ohiwerei, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Trust Bank, said the Bank was ready to provide loans at a maximum rate of 500 million cedis to about 500 schools to enable them to benefit from the e-Education package.

He said both organizations shared the view that the goal of teaching and learning, which was served by information technology, should be pursued vigorously through well designed educational packages.