Tamale: HORLAP Company Limited, an indigenous technology company, has refurbished an Information and Communication Technology laboratory of the Tamale Girls' Senior High School (SHS) to enhance digital learning and equip students with skills in emerging technologies. The refurbished facility is expected to provide the students with improved access to technology and create an enabling environment for them to explore areas including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, software development, cybersecurity, and automation.
According to Ghana News Agency, the intervention was undertaken in partnership with Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Member of Parliament for Tamale South Constituency and Minister for Education. Mr Kelvin Oduro Aboagye, Chief Executive Officer of HORLAP Company Limited, speaking during the handing over of the facility to authorities of the school in Tamale, said the project went beyond the provision of physical infrastructure and represented an investment in the future of the students and Ghana's technological development. He emphasized that technology was transforming almost every aspect of society, including work, communication, business, and problem-solving.
Mr Aboagye underscored the importance of Ghana moving beyond merely consuming emerging technologies, focusing instead on preparing young people to become creators, innovators, and problem-solvers in the technology space. He urged the students to view the computers in the laboratory not just as tools for typing or browsing the internet, but as platforms for creating solutions and shaping their future. He encouraged them to engage in learning coding, website and application development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, and engineering, stressing that their technological journeys could begin right from Tamale.
He further challenged the students to remain curious, ask questions, experiment with new ideas, and identify challenges within their communities that could be addressed through technology. He expressed hope that the intervention would inspire some students to become software engineers, AI researchers, robotics engineers, and technology entrepreneurs, whose innovations would contribute to Ghana's development and impact Africa and beyond.
Mrs Aisha Asumah, Headmistress of Tamale Girls SHS, expressed appreciation to HORLAP Company Limited, the Education Minister, and other stakeholders for supporting the school with the refurbished facility. She described the laboratory as an investment for the students' future and urged them to use it to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Mrs Asumah assured the partners that the school would maintain the facility and ensure its use for its intended purpose, highlighting that sustainability required the collective commitment of management, teachers, and students.
She also appealed for additional support to address pressing challenges confronting the school, including inadequate furniture for students and staff, a shortage of beds, and the deteriorating condition of some school buildings. Mrs Asumah noted that some buildings had developed structural defects due to age and continuous use, requiring rehabilitation. She appealed to the Education Minister to facilitate the implementation of the school's proposed smart classroom project to enable students to acquire the technological skills required for the 21st century.
Transportation remains a significant challenge, and Mrs Asumah appealed for a pickup vehicle and a bus to support academic activities and facilitate the safe movement of students and staff. She also requested support for the school's 25th anniversary legacy project through the District Assemblies Common Fund or personal support and efforts to transform the school into a model institution. Improvements to the drainage system and internal roads were also necessary to create a more conducive environment for teaching and learning. Mrs Asumah explained that expansion was essential for the school to transition effectively to a single-track system, requiring an 80-unit classroom block and a 30-unit dormitory block to address current accommodation constraints.