Regional News of Sunday, 21 August 2005

Source: GNA

Atokor inaugurates Library/ICT Centre

Atorkor (V/R), Aug 21, GNA - The people of Atorkor, a community in the Anlo District of the Volta Region at the weekend inaugurated a 934-million cedi Library and Information Technology (IT) Training complex at the town's Local Authority Basic School.

The project, an initiative of Togbui Ackumey Geli Adjorlolo III, Dufia of Atorkor, and members of the Atorkor Development Fund, a development organization based in Ghana and abroad, would enhance teaching and learning in the area as well as prepare the children to meet the challenges of the emerging competitive global environment. The Central Baptist Church in the United Kingdom provided financial support for the construction of the complex, which currently stocks 2,000 books and 20 computers.

The Church also facilitated the training of teachers to enable them to impart to the children information and technology skills. Addressing the people, Togbui Adjorlolo, known in private life as Samuel Adjorlolo, said current global developments was a clear indication that children be taught new skills and ways of doing things in order to survive the stiff competition from other places. He mentioned ITC training as one such skills that children should acquire in educational institutions to better prepare them for various opportunities in the future.

In this direction, he lauded the Government's initiative to introduce IT training in the country's basic and second cycle institutions, saying it was a positive way to position the children for the task ahead.

He sad he was happy that the complex would enable the children to spend their learning periods and spare time usefully rather than loitering in the community.

Togbui Adjorlolo asked members of the community to see the completion of the project, which had taken two years, as an indication that no task was impossible in the face of unity and faith in God. Mr John Rogers, Leader of the Central Baptist Church delegation to Ghana, said the best way to contribute to the development of children was to invest in their education.

He described the project as a rather long but interesting struggle and thanked all who contributed to make it a success. Mr Patrick Kunugbey of the District Education Office said the school was the first among the basic schools to undertake a computer programme in the District and congratulated Torgbi Adjorlolo for his foresight and initiative.

"The key to our country's development lies in its human resource and its ability to transform the knowledge of kids to meet the challenges of the competitive global economy," he said.