Hands-on computer classes for 1,800 Ghana children

“From everyone at the library, the teachers and most of all, the children, thank you to everyone who has supported us. Please accept our best wishes for the festive period and the New Year.” – Alikem Tamakloe, head of Volta Regional Library.

 With your support, 212 children have passed their exams, opening opportunities to progress to secondary school and to brighter futures for them and their families.

 The children attend junior schools in under-developed parts of Ho municipality in Ghana. The schools are extremely poorly resourced: some have no electricity; none have computers or internet connections.

 Your support enables Volta Regional Library to travel to the schools in a van equipped with solar power, laptop computers and wi-fi internet, and to offer struggling children hands-on computer classes.

 Exam results for 2014 show what a difference the library’s classes are making: at Mawuli Junior High School 84% of students passed their computer exams; at Ziave Dzogbe Junior High School, 39% passed (up from just 6% in 2013); at Klefe Achatime school which took the exam for the first time, 39% of students passed.

 “There is still a long way to go, but it is thanks to the library that we are improving. The students were very excited to be able to answer the exam questions,” said ICT teacher, Charles Kloklo.

 The library’s mobile classes are in high demand. In the 2013/14 school year the library’s itinerary included five schools and just over 600 pupils. Now the library regularly visits 10 schools, reaching 1,400 pupils.

 “The children are always very enthusiastic seeing the library vehicle in their schools. We are struggling to keep up with demand, and the pressure on the computers is increasing. But we know that with support in the New Year we will have more computers to give more children a better chance in life,” said Mr Tamakloe.