Stephen Blewett (3rd from right), CEO of MTN Ghana, being assisted by Joyce Appiah (4th from left), Headmistress of Aburi Secondary Technical School, to cut the sod for the construction of the MTN Container Project for the School. Looking on are Adwoa Wiafe (2nd from right), Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, MTN, and some staff and students of the school. Picture: Caleb Vanderpuye

MTN to build ICT lab for Aburi Presby STS

Diana Mensah Jun - 12 - 2024 , 09:57 2 minutes read

Mobile telecommunications company, MTN Ghana, has cut the sod for the construction of a containerised information and communications technology (ICT) laboratory and a garden for the Aburi Presbyterian Secondary Technical School in the Eastern Region.

The intervention is part of activities to mark the 2024 edition of the group’s annual employee volunteer programme, dubbed “30 Days of Y'ello Care”, which was designed within the context of celebrating the 30th anniversary of MTN Ghana with far-reaching corporate social responsibility events.

The project, known as "Learn Today, Lead Tomorrow," aims to enhance and create a lasting impact on the education and well-being of schoolchildren and students in remote and rural communities.

For a month, MTN and its staff will provide essential amenities and educational facilities to selected under-resourced schools across the country. The beneficiary schools will also receive container-based learning facilities, digital boreholes, digital literacy workshops, and a school farm, among others.

The initiative, since its inception in 2007, has enabled the staff of MTN to play an active role in community development projects in countries where MTN operates. Last Monday’s event was also to inspire and motivate students, as well as provide them with valuable insights, guidance and resources to help them excel in their academic and personal lives.

Enhancing education

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, emphasised the company's long-standing commitment to community service. He said the container-based learning facilities would be equipped with computers, internet access and extensive reading materials to bridge the digital divide and enhance the learning environment for students in deprived areas.

"Education is the key to transforming communities and fostering socio-economic growth, and by equipping our young people with the necessary knowledge and skills, we prepare them for a prosperous future,” Mr Blewett said.

He said another aspect of the projects was the installation of digitally enabled boreholes in schools facing water shortages. The MTN CEO said the company would also conduct digital literacy workshops to empower students and teachers with essential skills for navigating the digital world, stressing that "digital literacy is as crucial as in today's world”.

Appreciation

The Headmistress of the school, Joyce Appiah, expressed appreciation to MTN Ghana for supporting the school and their commitment to the education sector as a whole. She said the intervention was timely and would help the students with skills acquisition which aligned with MTN's strategic priority to build digital skills for digital jobs.