The NDC Minority in Parliament, has accused President Akufo-Addo and Vice-President Bawumia of deceiving Ghanaians with their promise to provide tablets to all Ghanaian students.
According to the Minority, the government, has failed to fulfil their campaign promise, as tablets have only been provided to less than a quarter of the total population of Ghanaian students.
In a press statement released and signed by the Member of Parliament for Builsa South and the Deputy Ranking Member of the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr Clement Apaak, clarified that the NDC is not against the provision of tablets to enhance students’ learning experience.
He explained that in their 2020 Peoples’ manifesto, the NDC stated that they would provide students and teachers with free tablets loaded with relevant content, stating that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led NPP government, in their 2020 manifesto, promised to improve ICT facilities, curriculum, and distribute tablets to Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS) students.
The statement noted that, data from the Ghana Education Service, presented during the 2024 budget revealed that the total number of students in public SHS was 1,331,219, while the total number of students in public JHS was 1,448,896.
“These figures indicate that there are a total of 2,780,115 students in both SHS and JHS. The NPP manifesto promised tablets for all students, meaning tablets for 2,780,115 students in Ghana”. The statement added.
The statement further pointed out that after seven years, the government has only procured 450,000 tablets through GETFUND for distribution. It further stressed that with this quantity, 2,330,115 students, including 881,219 SHS students and all JHS students, will not receive a tablet.
It noted that a lack of transparency and accountability is evident as the government has not disclosed the unit cost of these tablets or implemented a policy to guide their distribution and use.
The statement therefore raised concerns regarding the criteria for selecting which students and schools will receive the tablets warned the government against partisan considerations and urged the government to ensure a fair and unbiased selection process.
The NDC called on Ghanaians to hold the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led government accountable for failing to fulfil their promise of providing tablets to all students in SHS and JHS despite the government’s access to substantial revenue, they have only procured 450,000 tablets, leaving a significant number of students without access to educational technology.
The statement concluded that the NDC believes that the government’s tablet distribution programme is merely an election campaign gimmick and urged Ghanaians to see through it.
The NDC reiterated its commitment to providing students and teachers with free tablets loaded with relevant content as outlined in its 2020 manifesto.
