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Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), has urged the Auditor-General to conduct a comprehensive performance audit of the government’s utilization of free Wi-Fi in Senior High Schools. Asare emphasized that many students in these schools cannot access Wi-Fi, which hampers their studies.
During an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Mr. Asare highlighted that several schools have been without free Wi-Fi for up to six months, and some have not had access for an entire year. He stressed the need for the Ministry of Education to ensure that all contracted institutions receive internet services and the specified internet specifications before the government makes monthly payments of GH¢6.3 million to Busy Internet, the provider of the Wi-Fi services.
He further revealed that only 25% of schools have Wi-Fi connections.
Asare stated, “When a significant proportion, approximately 75%, of Senior High Schools lack internet connectivity, it poses a significant risk of low efficiency and inadequate value for money. Therefore, we have requested the Auditor-General conduct an extensive performance audit of the program, covering approximately 1,000 educational institutions. Some schools have been without internet access for an entire year.”
Eduwatch’s latest report unveiled that the free Wi-Fi program malfunctioned in approximately 75% of the sampled senior high schools.
Busy Internet Ghana Limited installed Wi-Fi equipment and provided internet facilities to 717 senior high schools, 16 Regional Education Offices, 46 Colleges of Education (CoEs), and 260 District Education Offices.
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Source: Omanghana.com
