Technical skills teachers learn computer hardware skills(8/6/09)

A two-week computer support systems programme to equip teachers in some selected technical institutions with computer hardware skills opened in Accra yesterday.
The training programme which will be replicated in other technical training institutes is being funded by UNESCO at the cost of $50,000.
The funding will also cover the purchasing and installation of computer hardware equipment at the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC).
The training programme is being organised by the Technical and Vocational Education Division (TVED) of the Ghana Education Service (GES) at Intercom Programming and Manufacturing Company (IPMC).
Participants at the training programme are technical skills teachers drawn from the Accra, Ada, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Dapokpa technical institutes in Ghana.
The Project Coordinator, Mr Philip Kwesi Incoom, said the computer support systems programme was aimed at assisting the technical skills teachers to repair and service computers.
He explained that the programme was also intended to create employment for the youth in order to reduce poverty in Ghana.
Mr Incoom stated that the programme would be piloted at Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC).
“ICT programmes in schools do not make provision for hardware computer training, thus this move by the TVED is laudable,” he said.
He said after completion of the programme, computer hardware equipment would be installed at ATTC to train senior high school (SHS) students who would be admitted to undertake the CSSP for two years.
The Director for TVED, Mr Asamoah Duodu, said the programme would enable participants to maintain computers which were hitherto thrown away when they became faulty.
“It is expected that trainees would acquire employable skills and competencies that would help reduce unemployment,“ he said.
He added that the trainees would undertake courses such as installation of personal computer components, operating system fundamentals, demonstrating PC technician professional best practices, identifying and applying network technologies.
The Head of Training at IPMC, Mrs Vimala Choudary, advised the trainees to make use of all the facilities at their disposal to enable them acquire the needed skills.