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‘Roll out affordable data packagesfor schools to enhance teaching
Mr Amago (left) with Mr Siedu (right) and the graduands Photo: Victor A. Buxton.
The Director of Celestial International STEM School in Ashaiman, Mr Harry Amago has urged government to impress upon telecommunication companies in the country to roll out a special internet package for educational institutions.
That he said would make date less expensive to those institutions and enhance the teaching and learning of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
‘If we are to embrace the change and prepare our students for an AI driven world, there must be a deliberate decision to create a special internet package for educational institutions to make data cheap for them to buy.”
Mr Amago said this at the 23rd Speech and Prize giving day and graduation ceremony of the school on Saturday.
It was on the theme ‘Use of IA in today’s educational ecosystem.’ In all, 42 students graduated from the school.
He explained that, the implementation of AI will be internet based than the normal text book-based approach to teaching and learning as teachers and students engage in Zoom, Skype, and Goggle Class Meetings among others.
Mr. Amago revealed that Celestial School was implementing an AI magic school tool which aims at reducing teacher fatigue, automatic administration tasks and increase efficiency.
He noted that despite the overreaching benefits of AI, the school was not overlooking the concerns of job displacement and ever-reliance on technology and was quick to note that with responsible implementation, most of the risks of AI can be mitigated to harness its potential.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Osman Gibrin Seidu, said the use of AI was to enable the school to provide tailored education to individual needs, making teaching and learning more engaging and effective.
According to him, the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BCEC) candidates performed extremely well and all 17 candidates were successfully placed in their first or second choices of Senior High Schools (SHS) in the country.
Mr Clifford Henaku Budu, Director of Education, Ghana Education Service (GES), Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) said AI was not a buzz word but a reality that was making significant impact in our edu cational ecosystem.
Mr Budu said “most youth outside our world are playing pivotal roles through AI in the discovery, implementation and manufacturing of different items critical for today needs.”
He urged educational leaders especially teachers to use AI to bridge the inequality gap in the classrooms between children and not to widen it.
Medical Doctor and dietician, Dr Bernice Korkor Asare, has urged women to take greater responsibility for their lifestyle choices, particularly their eating habits and levels of physical activity, to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
According to her, although, some breast cancer risk factors, such as family history and certain reproductive factors, may not be within an individual’s control, lifestyle choices offer an opportunity for people to take preventive action.
She made this known during a talk on the topic: “Role of diet in breast cancer prevention” organised by Times Ladies Association of the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, in Accra on Thursday.
The event themed “Breast Cancer Awareness- Promoting Early Detection, Healthy Eating and Prevention.” 
She noted that having a risk factor did not automatically mean a person would develop breast cancer, but could increase the likelihood of developing the disease compared with someone without that particular risk factor.
“Having close relatives who have had breast cancer, particularly a mother, sister or daughter, may increase the risk, although not everyone with a family history will develop the disease,” Dr Asare opined. Read More.
By Adizatu K. Munkaila
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A group of compassionate friends from Innovation Gospel Impact last Friday visited the management, teachers and learners of the Street Academy in Accra.
The visit was to interact to get a deeper insight into the operations of the Academy that houses hundreds of street and underprivileged children and find ways to support them.
The team was led by Rev. Dr Isaac Apenteng Yeboah, a former Director for West African Mailbox Club and Director for Prisons Support Foundation, and Rev. Dale Sutherland from Washington DC.
The call, according to the visitors was occasioned by reports about the struggles of the Academy despite the occasional support it enjoys from individuals and some corporate entities.
Briefing them, the Founder and Executive Director of the Academy, Dr Ataa Lartey, thanked them for the concern showed, indicating that “this is a major boost for both teachers and learners; knowing that their plight is known by people outside their premises.”
According Dr Lartey, the Academy had planned to undertake a number of project to enhance teaching and learning and also procure facilities for the children with keen interest in sports but had to shelve those plans for lack of finance.
He told the team that their biggest concerns were the monthly utility bills that takes a toll on their finances.
“We have a piece of land we planned to turn into an astro turf pitch to train the younger ones whose interests lies in making a career out of football, however, we have been unable to commence because there is no money now,” he said.
Dr Lartey expressed gratitude to the teachers who have dedicated their lives to training these children, rather than going for well-paying jobs and hoped that with time, their conditions of engagement would improve.
Moved by the plight of the Academy, the group donated a cash amount of Gh₵3,000 to settle its water bills.
They described as unfortunate the conditions of learners and teachers of the Academy and pledged to continuously support their operations to realize the dream to build a better future for the unfortunate children.
The group offered to support the school with its monthly utility bills, feeding and staff allowance and urged the Academy staff to remain in constant touch with them.
The Street Academy is located at the Accra Art Center and offers brilliant but needy the chance to pursue their educational dreams by enrolling them in public schools with others offered training in sports and cultural activities.
By Spectator Reporter
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