The Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) has refurbished and equipped the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory of the Appiadu-Kokoben M/A School to improve access to digital learning and enhance the quality of ICT education among pupils in the community.
The refurbished laboratory was handed over to the school on Wednesday, September 9, at a short ceremony attended by officials of GCB, the Oforikrom Municipal Assembly, the Municipal Education Directorate, traditional leaders and representatives of the local community.
The project was undertaken under GCB’s Staff Community Impact Program (SCIP), an initiative through which staff of the bank collectively contribute towards projects aimed at addressing developmental challenges and improving the well-being of communities.
Mr. Patrick Bamfo Boateng, Kumasi Regional Manager of GCB, said the initiative was driven by the bank’s commitment to supporting communities in which it operated and responding to identified needs that could make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
He said community development required collaboration among institutions, businesses and local stakeholders, adding that GCB staff were therefore encouraged to identify practical challenges within their communities and contribute towards addressing them.
“This initiative is about identifying challenges within our communities and finding practical ways of addressing them. As GCB staff, we believe that our responsibility goes beyond banking; we must also contribute to the development of the communities in which we live and work,” he said.
He explained that Kumasi Cluster 2, comprising the GCB branches at KNUST, Tech Junction, Ahinsan and the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) Kumasi Cluster, selected the Appiadu-Kokoben M/A School as its beneficiary for this year’s SCIP project. The choice of the school, he said, reflected the staff’s desire to invest in an area that could have a direct and lasting impact on the education and future prospects of children in the community.
Mr. Alex Asante Asiamah, Staff Community Impact Program Coordinator, said the SCIP was designed to harness the collective efforts of GCB employees to create positive change in communities. He noted the programme provided an opportunity for staff to identify pressing community needs and pool their resources and expertise to support sustainable interventions.
The refurbishment was therefore expected to provide pupils and teachers with a more conducive environment for practical ICT lessons and help bridge gaps in access to technology at the basic school level.
The Municipal Education Director, Madam Dorothy Opare Baidu, commended GCB and its staff for selecting the school for the intervention, describing the initiative as an important contribution to improving ICT education in the municipality.
She said access to functional ICT facilities was increasingly important to the delivery of quality education, particularly as technology continued to influence teaching, learning and access to information.
Madam Baidu urged the school authorities and pupils to take proper care of the facility and ensure that it was used for its intended purpose. She also encouraged the pupils to take advantage of the improved facility to develop their computer skills and cultivate an interest in science and technology.
Mr. Enoch Quaye, Deputy Director of the Oforikrom Municipal Assembly, expressed appreciation to GCB for supporting the school and contributing to development within the municipality. He said partnerships between the private sector and local government institutions were essential to complement government’s efforts in providing infrastructure and other facilities required to improve education.
The traditional leaders commended the bank and its staff for responding to an identified educational need in the community and appealed to other corporate institutions to emulate the initiative by supporting development projects in underserved communities.
