UG@75: West African Genetic Medicine Centre presents 75 laptops to graduate students

By Morkporkpor Anku

Accra, July 20, GNA – The West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC) at the University of Ghana has presented laptops to 75 graduate students.

The presentation of the laptops formed part of the Centre’s contributions to the One Student One Laptop Initiative (1S1L) launched by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo.

The 1S1L is aimed at providing affordable computers for students and staff and free laptops for needy students to help them fully adapt to the changes in education delivery and learning while having access to the required resources to facilitate effective teaching, learning and research.

The Vice-Chancellor speaking at WAGMC maiden Laptop Fellowship Awards dubbed “75 for UG@75” commended the Centre for the efforts to support the Initiative.

She said the technological advancement of students at the University was her target.

She said in line with the objective, the project had been designed to explore mechanisms and channels that would help secure free laptops for students who cannot afford them.

Prof Peter Quartey, the Chairman of the 1S1L Committee, said it was good news to target graduate students in this distribution and it was timely.

He said the University was pursuing the path of establishing an assembling plant on campus and entering contractual agreements for acquisition vis-à-vis repayment plans, insurance, warranties, to make the required number of laptops available for distribution.

The Chairman said the Committee was also working towards a mechanism for which the laptops could be purchased on hire purchase basis.

He said the Committee had received some donations for which a number of laptops had already been distributed.

Prof Quartey said 120 laptops were distributed in the first batch and another 50 later.

He said they were yet to distribute 200 more and looking at expanding the coverage.

He commended all donors for their support of the Vice-Chancellor’s Initiative to support students to add value to themselves.

Prof S. Fiifi Ofori-Acquah, Director of WAGMC, told the GNA that the Centre initially had plans to distribute 45 laptops but increased the number to 75 to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the University.

He said the laptops were the Centre’s contribution to providing quality education to students at the University and contributing to research.

He said the leadership of the Centre developed the idea to leverage on the vision of the Vice-Chancellor for every student to have a laptop.

The Director said these laptops would go a long way to helping graduate students conduct their research, thesis and write reports for their academic exercises.

Prof Ofori-Acquah said the laptop fellowship would continue in the coming years to support students.

He said they named it Awards because students were made to write some essays, which went through selection to arrive at the number.

Mr Clement Asante, an MPhil Physiology Student, said, “Most of us planned to buy new laptops but with these ones given to us, we will use the money for other pressing issues.”

He expressed appreciation to the Management of the University for the Initiative and to the Centre for their support.

Mr Asante called on other corporate institutions to come on board to support the University to provide these laptops to students to enhance learning and conduct of research.

The beneficiary students were drawn from WAGMC, Departments of Anatomy, Chemical Pathology, Medical Biochemistry, Medical Microbiology, Physiology, Dietetics, Medical Laboratory Science and Psychology.

GNA