CHRAJ petitioned to investigate procurement of laptops for teachers

Teacher groups, Innovative Teachers and All Teachers Alliance have petitioned CHRAJ to investigate the procurement of laptops for teachers by government.

According to the petition, "The request for investigation has become necessary due to the fact that the procurement of two hundred and eighty thousand laptops out to result in a significant reduction in the price for teachers and the taxpayer to pay."

"The cost of the laptop is purported to be 1,550 cedis and we suspect that this amount is inflated.

Full statement below:

 

 

 

 

Background

Teachers in the country from kindergarten to Senior High School are to be given laptops under the one teacher, one laptop programme.

The programme, according to the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is aimed at bridging the ICT gap between teachers in urban areas and their colleagues in rural areas.

Launching the programme in Accra on Friday, September 3, 2021, the Vice President said the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic affected teaching and learning due to the unavailability of technological equipment.

“Today’s event further attests to the government’s commitment to the cause of education. Under the one teacher, one laptop programme, each teacher at every level of education, from kindergarten to Senior High School will receive a laptop.”

“This is novel in our educational service delivery thus far in the history of Ghana. The government pays 70% of the cost of each laptop, while the teacher pays the remaining 30%. The laptop, however, becomes the personal property of the teacher and serves the benefit of providing the tool for developing the teacher’s professional capacity,” he said.

The Vice President also announced recent decisions taken by the government to make the teaching profession attractive.

“As part of efforts to improve the status of teachers, effective 2022, all products from the Colleges of Education will graduate as first degree holders and will be entering the Ghana Education Service as Principal Superintendent.”

President Akufo-Addo initially made the announcement of the government’s plans to procure some 280,000 TM1 laptops for teachers to augment their work in his State of the Nation.

“I’m happy to announce that the government is facilitating the acquisition of 280,000 laptops for the members of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition for Concerned Teachers (CCT) this year. I acknowledge the teacher is at the centre of every reform in the field of educated,” the President said.

Per the deal, the government will pay 70% of the cost of GHS1,550 with the teachers’ paying 30% through deductions from their salaries.

A group known as Innovative Teachers had petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), to investigate the procurement of the laptops.

The founder of the group had said they sensed acts of corruption in the procurement of the laptops.