By Daniel Adu Darko
Accra, Oct. 12, GNA- Ecobank Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting inclusive and equitable education with the commissioning of a refurbished Digital Learning Centre at the Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf at Adjei Kojo in the Tema West Municipality.
The project, commissioned as part of activities marking Ecobank Day 2025 on the theme: “Enabling Inclusive Learning for All,” forms part of the bank’s three-year campaign, “Transforming Africa Through Education”, under its flagship social impact initiative, the Ecobank Foundation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs Abena Osei-Poku, Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana, said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that no child was left behind in the country’s digital transformation, particularly children with physical or learning challenges.
“Children with physical or learning challenges are too often overlooked, not because they lack potential, but because the world hasn’t always adapted to their needs and learning methods. This year, Ecobank is taking steps to change that,” she said.
She explained that the newly commissioned centre had been equipped with 26 computers, accessories, furniture for students and tutors, a projector, inverter, and three years of free internet connectivity.
In addition, Ecobank had partnered the Ghana Code Club to provide a six-month “train-the-trainer” workshop for both tutors and students, focusing on web development, animation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Mrs Osei-Poku announced that a similar facility had been completed and commissioned at the Bishop Sam Memorial Basic School in Takoradi, while work was ongoing on another at the 4 Garrison Educational Centre in Kumasi, with plans to establish an additional centre at the Methodist School for the Blind in Wa.
“The completion and handing over of these projects will bring to six the total number of Digital Learning Centres commissioned by Ecobank Ghana over the three years, 2023 to 2025. The six beneficiary schools, namely; Potters Village Orphanage, South Labone Girls Technical Institute, Bushop Sam Memorial Basic School in Takoradi, 4 Garrison School in Kumasi, Tetteh Ocloo School, and Methodist School for the Blind in Wa,” she added.
She acknowledged the contributions of the bank’s partners, particularly Ghana Code Club led by Ms Ernestina Appiah, for integrating assistive technologies into learning, and commended Ecobank’s brand ambassador, King Promise, for supporting the initiative.
King Promise, who attended the ceremony, presented learning materials and other items to the school and pledged to sponsor the secondary and tertiary education of the school’s best-performing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidate for the year.
Ms Ernestina Appiah, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Code Club, said the partnership with Ecobank represented a shared vision to bridge the digital divide and promote inclusive learning through innovation.
“For the deaf learners, these centres symbolise inclusion and visibility, a powerful message that their voices and ideas matter in Ghana’s digital future,” she said.
She noted that the Code Club would train teachers and equip them with assistive digital learning kits and AI tools to enhance teaching and learning experiences for all learners.
Mr Isaac Arthur, Headmaster of the Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf, described the project as “a celebration of hope, inclusion, and progress,” and pledged that the facility would be well maintained to serve its intended purpose.
“This digital centre will make learning more interactive, visual, and engaging for our students. You have not only built a facility, but you have also built opportunity and confidence in our learners,” he said.
Madam Helena Mensah, Director of the Special Education Division of the Ghana Education Service (GES), in a speech read on her behalf by Madam Gloria Ntim, commended Ecobank Ghana for demonstrating corporate leadership in supporting inclusive education.
“By investing in digital infrastructure for learners who are deaf, Ecobank has shown a deep understanding of the transformative power of technology in bridging the learning gap,” she stated.
Mr Isaac MacCarthy-Mensah, Tema West Municipal Director of Education, also praised the initiative, describing it as timely and in line with the GES agenda to integrate ICT into teaching and learning.
He assured that the facility would be used effectively to enhance teaching and learning outcomes.
The event formed part of Ecobank Day 2025, a Group-wide corporate social responsibility activity observed simultaneously across 33 African countries, aimed at improving lives in underserved communities.
GNA
Christian Akorlie