Draft ict in education strategic implementation plan ghana-2011-07-15

GOVERNMENT OF GHANA

MINISTRY OF EDUCATIONGHANA

June 2011

Draft – ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan 2011-2015 1

ICT IN EDUCATION – COSTED STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2011-2015

ICT IN EDUCATION – COSTED STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2011-2015

GHANA ICT IN EDUCATION STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2011-2015

FOREWARD................................................................................................................................................. 6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................. 7

1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................... 9

1.1 Background .............................................................................................................................9

1.2 The International, Regional and National Contexts..................................................................9

1.3 Objective and rationale of the ICT in Education Strategic implementation Plan 2011-2015...10

1.4 Governance ...........................................................................................................................11

1.5 Methodology.........................................................................................................................11

1.6 Layout....................................................................................................................................12

2 VISION, MISSION, FUNCTION AND VALUES...............................................................................................12

2.1 Societal Vision........................................................................................................................12

2.2 Mission Statement.................................................................................................................12

2.3 Institutional Vision.................................................................................................................12

2.4 Core Values............................................................................................................................12

2.5 Core Functions ......................................................................................................................13

3 SITUATION ANALYSIS............................................................................................................................... 13

3.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................13

3.2 Ghana Education Sector Plan 2010-2020................................................................................13

3.3 Ghana National ICT4AD Policy...............................................................................................14

3.4 Ghana draft ICT in Education Policy.......................................................................................16

3.5 Proposed deployment plan for ICT in Education....................................................................17

3.6 Needs Analysis by Stakeholders.............................................................................................17

4 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES, PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS...........................................................................18

4.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................19

4.2 Overall goal: using ICT to increase access, equity, quality and relevance...............................19

4.3 Strategic Objectives...............................................................................................................19

4.4 Logical framework: Priority outputs and indicators...............................................................22

4.5 Budget...................................................................................................................................28

5 IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION...............................................................................29

5.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................29

5.2 Implementation.....................................................................................................................29

5.3 Monitoring.............................................................................................................................29

5.4 Evaluation of activities and programmes...............................................................................29

5.5 Human resources...................................................................................................................30



ABBREVIATIONS

AF Administration and Finance Division (of GES)BE Basic Education

CAL Computer Assisted Learning CBO Community Based Organisations

CBT Competency Based Training CD Compact Disc

CDMoE Chief Director of MoE CL Complementary Learning

CoE College(s) of Education COTVET Council for TVET

CRDD Curriculum Research and Development Division (of GES) DEO District Education Office/OfficeR

DG Director General of GES DP Development Partner(s)

EFA Education for AllEM Educational Management

EMIS Education Management Information System ESP Education Strategic Plan

GES Ghana Education Service GESCI Global E-Schools and Communities Initiative

HRD Human Resource Development ICT Information and Communication Technologies

INSET In-Service Education of TeachersJHS Junior High School

KG KindergartenLFA Logical Framework Approach

M&E Monitoring and EvaluationMDG Millennium Development Goals

MoE Ministry of EducationMoEP Ministry of Economic Planning

MoF Ministry of FinanceMoMYE Ministry of Manpower Youth and Employment

MoYS Ministry of Youth and Sports NCCA National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

NCTE National Council for Tertiary EducationNF Non-Formal (Education)

NGO Non-Governmental Organisation OU Open University

PBME Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation PRESET Pre-Service Education of Teachers

SED Secondary Education Division SHS Senior High School


SRIMPR Statistics, Research, Information Management & Public RelationsSWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

TE Tertiary Education TED Teacher Education Division (of GES)

TLM Teaching and Learning MaterialsTOT Trainers of Trainers/Tutors/Teachers

TTC Teacher Training College TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training

TVI Technical Vocational Institutions TVED Technical and Vocational Education Division (of GES)

TVSD Technical and Vocational Skills Development UBE Universal Basic Education


FOREWARD

The Ghana ICT in Education Strategic implementation Plan 2011-2015 provides the Education Sector with strategic direction on ICT integration to enable improved access, equity for all and provision of quality educational opportunities. Through efficient integration of ICT to the Education System the Strategic Implementation Plan also aims to support the Government of Ghana’s intentions to use ICT as a tool for economic growth and development.

National investment in ICT in Ghana is well under way, and the Government has identified ICT integration into the Education Sector as a prioritised area for Ghanaian socio-economic development. The need for a nationally accepted ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan for Ghana is vital to ensure a coordinated approach towards the country’s transition into a knowledge based economy. Educational objectives and priorities must be aligned and remain focused on transforming Ghana into “an information rich knowledge based and technology driven high income economy and society” as stated in the Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development policy (ICT4AD, 2003).

The purpose of the ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan is to ensure that ICT are efficiently integrated to the Ghanaian education system to enable fulfilment of goals and guiding principles as stated in national policy frameworks such as the Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2010-2020, the Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development policy (ICT4AD, 2003) and the draft ICT in Education Policy (2007). The ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan will provide the education sector with strategic direction, coordination capacity and resource identification for ICT in Education initiatives.

The ICT in Education Strategic implementation Plan 2011-2015 has been developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. Existing policy framework, a Needs Analysis carried out in March and April 2011, and outcomes from the 2011 National Education Sector Annual Review provide the point of departure for a Strategic implementation Plan that aims to encompass the visions and principles of all the parties involved. I thank my senior officials and technical staff at all involved agencies for their committed efforts during the preparation stages.

I wish to take this opportunity to commend this ICT in Education Strategic implementation to all those who support education development in Ghana.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In the process of transforming the country’s economic development and spurring a transition from an agrarian to a knowledge-based economy, the Government of Ghana has pinpointed education and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as driving forces for such change. Introducing ICT in the field of education to equip the workforce with 21st century skills is a national priority. ICT offers unique and cost-effective solutions to accelerate the achievement of access, equity and quality education. The Education Sector Performance Review, May 2011 reveals three major thematic areas such as Socio-Humanistic, Educational and Economic. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has specifically prioritised the Science and Technological education at all levels.

The Ghana ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan for 2011-2015 is developed in consultation with national and external stakeholder and sets out the future direction for integration of ICT in Education. The Strategic Implementation Plan complements the ESP 2010-2020 and draft ICT in Education Policy and outlines the Ghana aspirations on the national, regional and international levels. It seeks to support objectives at all levels, the broadest being to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and Education For All (EFA) goals, along with the targets set by the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS). This Plan also promotes the use ICT as an opportunity to increase regional collaboration in the field of education, concerning infrastructure, policy, standards and research, to name just a few. On the national scale, the Strategic Implementation Plan aims to accompany infrastructure projects currently under development or waiting to be so, and to back the national effort to increase quality in education with the support of ICT solutions.

Beyond objectives linked to specific contexts, the societal vision that underpins this Strategic Implementation Plan is “A nurturing, effective teaching and learning environment that will enable all Ghanaians to reach their individual potential and to become well-rounded, critically thinking citizens of an innovative, knowledge-based economy.” To move this vision forward, the mission is to harness the innovative and cost-effective power of ICT to increase access, equity, skills and build capacity of all those involved in providing education. The ICT in Education coordination unit established under MoE has been coordinating and managing the issues pertaining to policy. There would be an exclusive resource person shall continue to coordinate the policy related issues. The talent resource person shall be operation as part of the PBME department of MoE. As part of this Strategic Implementation Plan, it is visualised that the exclusive coordination unit / department shall be established under GES to coordinate and implement the ICT in Education initiatives and Programmes. The core functions of this unit will be to support implementation of the ICT in Education Policy and Strategic Plan, strengthen and coordinate public and private partnerships, provide guidance to member institutions in ICT in Education matters and ensure monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects. The unit under GES will act as an input provider to MoE for policy formulation and refinement.

Prior to developing this ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan, education-based initiatives in the National ICT for Accelerated Development Policy (ICT4AD, 2003) and draft ICT in Education policy were thoroughly reviewed. The major challenges identified pertaining to lack of infrastructure and high costs to acquire power, equipment and connectivity. The absence of a culture around the use of ICT also tends to prevent the adoption of such tools in education, as do the limited availability of digital content, expertise and project coordination, lack of road map for systematic capacity building for continuous professional development of teachers. However, the ESP 2010-2020 and National ICT4AD policy document support the ICT in Education initiatives which holds the promise for rapid change in the field. New opportunities will and must be seized to expand infrastructure, integration


of ICT for core / elective / subject learning, develop partnerships with the public and private sectors, and create new links with regional and international initiatives.

With the overall goal of using ICT to increase access, equity and quality; the following six strategic objectives will be given special focus during the period 2011-2015;

Objective 1: Create fresh impetus for and strengthen ICT in Education cultureObjective 2: Develop appropriate Education Management support structures and policiesObjective 3: Expand ICT infrastructureObjective 4: Build capacity for ICT and pedagogical developmentObjective 5: Develop and distribute quality digital contentObjective 6: Institute appropriate Monitoring & Evaluation procedures, Research and Networking

Strong monitoring and evaluation schemes will be designed to ensure that all ICT in Education programmes and projects in the above fields are functioning at their utmost potential and to track and adjust objectives and processes. A detailed roadmap with timelines and clearly defined roles and responsibilities of various players will also be developed subsequently to implement this Strategic Implementation Plan.

The six strategic objectives will frame the inclusion of all initiatives into the national plan. Stakeholders and partners are encouraged to use this Strategic Implementation Plan as a point of reference and guiding framework when considering participating in Ghana’s effort to promote ICT in Education for an enabling access, equity and enhancement of quality learning.


1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Information, knowledge and technology have emerged as vital factors for socio-economic development with the emergence of the information age. Effective use of information and knowledge is to today key in enabling economic growth, wealth creation and socio-economic well-being. The Government of Ghana recognises the opportunities generated by the information and knowledge economy as a new source for the creation of quality jobs, welfare and wealth generation, income redistribution and poverty alleviation, as well as for rapid economic development, prosperity and a source for facilitating global competitiveness. In its ICT for Accelerated Development Policy (ICT4AD, 2003) Ghana spells out the ambition to transform itself “into an information rich knowledge based and technology driven high income economy and society”. One important step in enabling the country to move its industrially weak, subsistence agriculture-based economy towards an information and knowledge economy the country is to develop and implement comprehensive integrated ICT led socio-economic development policies, strategies and plans.

Further, for Ghana to make any appreciable progress in its socio-economic development efforts, substantial resources will need to be directed at improving educational delivery. International experience from both developed and developing countries have shown that ICT have an enormous potential for knowledge creation, knowledge dissemination, knowledge acquisition, effective learning and the development of more efficient education services. The key role that ICT can play in widening access to education to a wider section of the population and literacy education for facilitating educational delivery and training at all levels has been recognized as a key priority area already in Ghana’s 2007 Education Reforms. The importance of ICT to equip Ghanaians with the skills needed in the 21st Century is further emphasised in the national Education Sector Plan 2010-2020 as well as Education Sector Performance Report, May 2011.

The integration of ICT in the field of education is a national priority in need of coordination and direction. The draft ICT in Education Policy from 2007 has to be revised following the 2007 Education Reforms and the most recent national Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2010-2020. Even though given a separate sub-chapter in the ESP 2010-2020, guidelines for how ICT integration is to be realised are quite limited why this Strategic Implementation Plan aims to give more concrete guidance on required activities. The policy also has to be complemented with a Costed Strategic Implementation Plan to ensure that the ICT tools are used at their utmost potential, funding is allocated to prioritised interventions, and that ICT expertise is being built up in the country.

This ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan builds upon the draft ICT in Education Policy, the national ICT4AD Policy, and the most recent ESP 2010-2020. It also looks at a proposed Policy Framework for the Deployment of ICTs in Education developed in 2010. The main purpose of the ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan is to provide a roadmap and budget framework for how Ghana in an efficient and coordinated way can deploy ICTs to improve pre-tertiary educational delivery following the pathway for the Ghanaian Education sector as set out in the ESP 2010-2020.

1.2 The International, Regional and National Contexts

The basic education sub sector is a major component of the education sector. On an international level, Ghana subscribes to the Education For All (EFA) principles and process. Programmes that put into effect the six goals arising from the 2000 World Education Forum in


Dakar are also implemented. In recognition of this Ghana has been included in the FTI programme of the World Bank. In addition, Ghana is a signatory to the international Millennium Development Goals (MDG), four of which have special significance for the education sector;• MDG2: All children should complete a full course of primary schooling • MDG3: Elimination of gender disparity at all levels of education • MDG 6: Eradication of malaria and reversal of the spread of HIV&AIDS • MDG 7: Environmental sustainability and access to safe water

Ghana is also a member state of and contributor to NEPAD, New Partnerships for Africa Development.

Regionally, Ghana is aspiring to become an ICT hub of Western Africa. The country is on its way towards this goal with the Ghana Telecom University as a highly respected ICT university in the sub-region and ICT training institutions like NIIT, IPMC (Intercom Programming & Manufacturing Company), the Accra Institute of Technology and the Kofi Annan ICT Training Centre serving as centres of excellence in ICT training that attract students from other West African countries.

Efforts to introduce ICTs into Ghana’s education sector have been made by the Ministry of Education (MoE), primarily through the Ghana Education Service (GES), its development partners and other private sector agencies over the last 15 years. Initiatives have spanned pre-tertiary (both public and private schools) and tertiary education levels. Efforts have largely been geared towards the deployment of ICT to these facilities via the provision of computers and the establishment of ICT laboratories. Access however is still below the standards and numbers demanded. Though comparatively better, the concerns remain for tertiary level institutions. Additionally, there have been several private sector initiatives to set up Community based ICT centres. These however have been largely confined to urban areas with few available examples of how they have been used to support educational objectives.

Additionally, there was the recognition that to ensure success and sustainability, ICT in Education projects should be implemented not necessarily to increase the number of computers, but should instead be based on supporting discrete educational objectives. The lessons learned from the initiatives further highlighted the need for a coordinated, focused and properly managed approach to the adoption and utilization of ICT. Such an approach could further improve the accessibility, equity and delivery of quality education and better maximise the impact of ICT in Education.

Ghana’s most recent ESP covers the period 2010-2020 and maintains previous focus on access, equity and quality of education. Essential priority is given to continue to ensure universal access to 11 years of quality basic education with increased, affordable, equitable access to senior and tertiary education.

1.3 Objective and rationale of the ICT in Education Strategic implementation Plan 2011-2015

National investment in ICT in Ghana is well under way, and the Government has identified ICT integration as a prioritised area for Ghanaian socio-economic development. The need for a nationally accepted ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan for Ghana is vital to ensure a coordinated approach towards the country’s transition into a knowledge based economy. Educational objectives and priorities must be aligned to remain focused on supporting the Government’s intentions to use ICTs as a tool for economic growth and development. A


roadmap for how ICT will be effectively integrated into the education sector must be developed to mobilise and guide activities of implementing agencies.

The fundamental objective of the ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan is to ensure that ICT are efficiently integrated to the Ghanaian education system to enable fulfilment of goals and guiding principles as stated in the national ESP 2010-2020. The ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan will provide the education sector with;

Strategic direction: The critical role of ICT in Education is examined in several national documents, but Ghana lacks precise direction at a time when change and innovation are turning the sector around. This Strategic Implementation Plan will help shape, regulate and monitor initiatives in ICT in Education, in response to new national requirements and opportunities.

Coordination capacity: The use of ICT in and for education depends on a broad range of initiatives and stakeholders, not all of them in the Education Sector. While the main impetus for a Strategic Implementation Plan emerges from MoE, achieving the goals of moving towards a knowledge society will require deliberate and coordinated action across economic and governmental sectors.

Resource identification: Integration of ICT into the education system requires national investment in technologies and competencies with practitioners to make good use of this technology. The Education System must be adapted to new technological tools made available and to develop capacities among learners and teachers, and this Strategic Implementation Plan will provide guidance to resources that need to be mobilised to realise this system change.

1.4 Governance

The MoE is mandated to spearhead education policy and coordinate national education activities. The ICT coordination unit / designated resource person is responsible for policy formulation and on-going amendment / refinement with the support / input from the stake holders. An exclusive unit / department shall be established under GES to coordinate and implement the ICT in Education initiatives and programmes as visualized / outlined in the Strategic Implementation Plan.

1.5 Methodology

This document has been developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. The process took the latest ESP 2010-2020 and draft ICT in Education Policy as the points of departure together with a needs analysis carried out together with key partners in from March’11 to June 2011. The needs analysis together with outcomes of the 2011 National Education Sector Annual Review formed the basis for a presentation of key focus areas to the main stakeholders in July 2011 and subsequent modifications. The Strategic Implementation plan is an outcome of the discussions and collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, and aims to encompass the visions and principles of all the parties involved.


1.6 Layout

This Strategic Implementation Plan is structured as follows. Section 2 presents Ghana’s societal vision and mission and the guiding principles of the GES. Section 3 offers a brief situation analysis, followed in Section 4 by the presentation of a series of strategic objectives for 2011-2015 and a number of priority programmes and projects. Section 5 then provides an overview of the GES’ strategy for implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan.

2 VISION, MISSION, FUNCTION AND VALUES

The ICT in Education Strategic Implementation Plan for 2011-2015 reflects a societal vision, a mission and an institutional vision.

2.1 Societal Vision

The overarching principle that underlies aspirations for Ghana’s Education sector is “To provide relevant education with emphasis on science, information, communication and technology to equip individuals for self-actualisation, peaceful coexistence as well as skills for the workplace for national development.”

ICT are further identified as vital to accelerate Ghana’s socio-economic development and transformation into an information rich, knowledge based, and technology driven high income economy and society. Quality education is the key to human and economic development and ICTs are identified to play a key role in increasing access of quality education to a wider section of Ghana’s population, thereby supporting the national objective to attain a “Better Ghana”.

2.2 Mission Statement

The mission of this Strategic Implementation Plan is to guide the Ghanaian education sector in its efforts to efficiently use ICT to provide adequate opportunities for Ghanaians to develop the required skills for the Information Society. The Strategic Implementation Plan will create an enabling environment for graduates from Ghanaian pre-tertiary educational institutions - formal and non-formal - to confidently and creatively use ICT tools and resources to develop requisite skills and knowledge needed for self actualisation, peaceful co-existence and national workforce development by 2015.

2.3 Institutional Vision

In order to carry out its mission, the GES will seek to be the strong and viable organisation of choice that acts as an honest broker to promote ICT in Education within Ghanaian society and beyond through public and private partnerships. Its role is that of a coordinating body, fostering collaboration with all types of stakeholders as well as mobilising and sharing expertise in order to meet Ghana’s development goals.

2.4 Core Values

To carry out and achieve its mission, GES will work on the following guiding values:• Collaboration: GES will seek to work in collaboration with partners from the public and

private sectors, at the local, national, regional and international levels through a collaborative mechanism that will enable partners to interact and air their views.

• Accountability: GES will ensure that it is accountable for its decisions by clearly articulating processes that guide multi-stakeholder partnerships and ensuring all decisions are made in a fair and equitable manner, in line with this Strategic Implementation Plan.

• Pro-activeness: GES will strive to remain pro-active in all fields relating to its mission by consulting ICT in Education experts and staying abreast of innovations.


• Community consciousness: GES will ensure that all its activities ultimately benefit the community by involving key players in the definition of activities and providing access to ICT in educational institutions.

• Results oriented: Through its implementation plan, GES will commit to results that will be measured, evaluated and adjusted periodically.

• Responsiveness to changing situations: GES will ensure it identifies and adapts to change in a timely fashion through rigorous monitoring and evaluation of programmes and activities.

• Equity and fairness: GES will treat all stakeholders in an equitable and fair manner.

2.5 Core Functions

The core functions of GES in integrating ICT into the Education Sector are to:• Support implementation, revision and proper incorporation of the ICT in Education Strategic

Implementation Plan• Develop detailed costed implementation plan for ICT in Education by using knowledge tools

and products such as total cost of ownership (TCO)• Define and maintain technical standards specifications• Harmonise and streamline implementation efforts among all stakeholders and implementers,

to avoid redundancy and maximise impact• Develop and execute communications plans that target stakeholders, implementers and

beneficiaries at all levels• Strengthen existing and create new public and private partnerships to support ICT in

Education• Liaise with ICT coordinators in other ministries and agencies• Provide guidance to member institutions in the provision of ICT infrastructure and ICT in

Education resources such as content, training and technology• Supervise teacher training and capacity development in ICT in Education within learning

institutions• Ensure monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects• Manage and maintain relevant information systems• Initiate and coordinate on-going research and documentation.

3 SITUATION ANALYSIS

3.1 Introduction

The development of ICT in Education in Ghana and this Strategic Implementation Plan in particular are guided by several policy frameworks. The broadest policy guidelines with which it is aligned consist in the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals, the Education For All objectives, and the goals arising from the 2000 World Education Forum in Dakar. Important national frameworks that provide guidance are Ghana’s education sector’s ESP 2010-2020, the National ICT4AD Policy as well as the draft ICT in Education Policy.

3.2 Ghana Education Sector Plan 2010-2020

Ghana’s most recent ESP is an outline strategic plan for education sector development for the 10-year period 2010 to 2020. The ESP 2010 – 2020 has been guided by policy initiatives emerging from the previous ESP (2003 – 2015), most notably the National Education Reform (NERIC, 2007) and the resulting 2008 Education Act, both of which were guided by the revised Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, 2006-09 (GPRSII). In line with the Sector Medium-Term Development Plan 2010 – 2013 (SMTDP, NDPC, 2010) the ESP 2010 – 2020 states eight policy objectives for Education under three thematic areas.


Socio-humanistic theme (access, equity, welfare):Policy Objective 1: Improve equitable access to and participation in quality education at all levels.Policy Objective 2: Bridge gender gap in access to education.Policy Objective 3: Improve access to quality education for people with disability.Policy Objective 4: Mainstream issues of population, family life, gender, health, HIV / AIDS/ STI, conflicts, fire and road safety, civic responsibility, Human rights and environment in the curricular at all levels.

Educational theme (quality, skills development):Policy Objective 5: Improve quality of teaching and learning.Policy Objective 6: Promote Science and technical education at all levels.

Economic theme (efficiency, effectiveness):Policy Objective 7: Strengthen links between tertiary education and industry.Policy Objective 8: Improve management of education service delivery.

The ESP 2010 – 2020 further specifies a sub-sector policy regarding ICT in Education. It is derived from the draft ICT in Education Policy (MoE, 2006 draft) that builds on the Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development policy (ICT4AD, 2003) that aims to transform Ghana “into an information rich knowledge based and technology driven high income economy and society”. The policies state that ICT will be used in relation to equitable access, quality, science and technology, educational management, and labour market needs especially skills for the 21st Century. The ICT policy framework is aimed to ensure adequate opportunities for students in the formal and non-formal sectors to develop skills that will enable them to benefit fully from ICT. This will mainly be achieved through: • ICT as a management tool within institutions at all levels• ICT skills development for all• ICT as a pedagogical tool, particularly in Senior High Schools

The outlined strategies to achieve these objectives are to:• Modernise the educational system through ICTs to improve the quality of education and

training at all levels thereby expanding access to education, training (in particular teacher professional development) and research resources and facilities

• Use ICTs to orient all levels of the country’s educational system to the teaching and learning of all subjects, including science and technology

• Improve national competence in 21st Century ICT skills• Use ICTs to assist in ensuring that graduates from basic education are functionally literate and

productive

ICT are also specifically mentioned in additional sub-sector policies. For Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) one of the emphasised strategies to achieve a comprehensive demand-driven system is to “Build capacity for ICT for global competitiveness”. The Inclusive Education and Special Educational Needs policy identify “Promotion of the development of ICT-based solutions to enhance the educational opportunities of learners and young people with disabilities and special needs” as one of their strategies. Distance learning is also an important component under the sub-sector policy for Pre-Tertiary Teacher Professional Development and Management.

3.3 Ghana National ICT4AD Policy

The Ghana ICT4AD Policy represents the vision for Ghana in the information age and was developed in 2003. The policy addresses a number of developmental challenges Ghana faces in


its efforts to turn the country into an information and knowledge-based economy and paves the way for how the country should accelerate its development through an ICT driven agenda. The deployment and exploitation of ICTs in Education is one of the 14 ICT4AD pillars, and one of the strategies the policy identifies is the modernization of Ghana’s educational system through the use of ICTs, enabling expanded access to education, improved quality of education and responsiveness to the requirements of the economy and society.

The National ICT4AD Policy stipulates use of ICT to modernise and improve the education system to expand access to educational resources, accelerate the spread of science and technology in Ghanaian society and improve the level of basic and ICT literacy in the country.

The ICT4AD Policy identifies various strategies for how this is to be achieved;• Modernise Ghana’s educational system using ICTs to improve and expand access to

educational, training and research resources and facilities• Improve the quality of education and training and make the educational system responsive

to the needs and requirements of the economy and society with specific reference to the development of the information and knowledge-based society

• Transform Ghana into an information and knowledge-driven ICT literate nation• Introduce computers into all primary, secondary, vocational and technical schools• Promote electronic distance education and training and virtual learning systems to

complement and supplement face-to-face campus based education and training systems• Mainstream ICTs throughout the entire educational system to promote life-long learning• Transform the educational system to ensure that there is uninterrupted quality education for

all Ghanaians from pre-school to age 17 to reduce poverty and create the opportunity for human development

• Promote ICT awareness and computer literacy within the public at large• Develop and restructure the relevant ICT curricula for all levels of the educational system• Encourage collaboration between local and international educational institutions to purchase

computers through attractive financial packages• Develop an educational intranet to provide educational materials and tools at all levels of the

educational system• Leverage the use of electronic distance learning networks to enhance the delivery of ICT

education and training• Develop re-training and re-skilling ICT programmes for the management of staff of the MoE

and educational institutions at all levels• Develop educational management and information systems to improve the quality of

management of educational institutions• Promote Internet access to all educational institutions including the schools, universities and

colleges• Promote e-learning in the schools and tertiary level institutions• Strengthen science education at all levels and in all aspects of the educational system,

especially at the basic and secondary levels• Promote technical and vocational education and training to enhance middle level

management in science and technology delivery to all sectors• Facilitate collaboration between the MoE and various accreditation agencies and

examination bodies for ICT education and training• Ensure that all universities and colleges take steps to progressively offer their programmes

and courses online to broaden access to higher education to a large section of the population and to maximise the quality and efficiency of learning processes, systems and activities


3.4 Ghana draft ICT in Education Policy

A draft ICT in Education Policy was developed in 2007 and identifies the overall policy goal “To enable graduates from Ghanaian educational institutions – formal and non-formal - to confidently and creatively use ICT tools and resources to develop requisite skills and knowledge needed to be active participants in the global knowledge economy by 2015.”

The policy goals as adapted from the National ICT4AD Policy includes:1. Facilitating the deployment, utilisation and exploitation within the educational system to

improve on educational access and delivery to support teaching and learning from the primary level upwards

2. Modernise the educational system to improve the quality of education and training at all levels of the educational system and expanding access to education, training and research resources and facilities

3. To orient all levels of the country’s educational system to the teaching and learning of science and technology in order to accelerate the acculturation of science and technology in society and produce a critical mass of requites human resources and a well-informed citizenry

4. To achieve universal basic education and improve the level of basic and computer literacy in the country

5. To ensure a population in which all citizens are at least functionally literate and productive6. To expand and increase access to secondary and tertiary education7. To strengthen science education at all levels and in all aspects of the educational system,

especially at the basic and secondary levels

The strategies defined following the policy goals are grouped into seven thematic areas and subsequent objectives:• Thematic Area 1: Education Management – Ministry, Agencies and Educational Institutions

o Acquire and implement various easily integrated Information Management Systems o Develop institutional capacity in the use of computer-based management tools to

enhance administration and management o Develop appropriate education management support structures and policies for ICT

deployment• Thematic Area 2: Capacity Building

o Development of ICT Human Resources and enhancement of practical training in Tertiary Institutions

o Provide appropriate ICT Training to all teachers to enhance the use of ICTo Use Distance learning to offer further training to teachers in basic school

• Thematic Area 3: Infrastructure, E-readiness and Equitable Accesso Facilitate the establishment maintenance and support of the ICT infrastructure and

resources within the education sectoro Facilitate equitable access to ICT for all students and communities

• Thematic Area 4: Incorporating ICTs into the Curriculumo Integrate ICTs into the curriculumo Introduce ICT as a subject at all levels of educationo Develop and integrate modern assessment methodology for teaching and learning

• Thematic Area 5: Content Developmento Develop Appropriate Content for Open, Distance and e-Learning

• Thematic Area 6: Technical Support, Maintenance and Sustainability of ICT initiativeso Ensure effective support and maintenance of ICT infrastructureo Ensure and guarantee sustainability of ICT initiatives


• Thematic Area 7: Monitoring and Evaluationo Institute programmes and procedures to monitor and evaluate the implementation

of the various components of the ICT in Education Policy

3.5 Proposed deployment plan for ICT in Education

In 2010 a deployment plan for ICT in Education was developed by the MoE to provide an “appropriate, sustainable and cost effective solution for the deployment of e-education strategies at various levels of education as it relates to access, quality and management efficiency”. The plan point out key challenges to ICT integration in the Ghanaian Education system at four levels of the education system; a) Basic Education Level (including primary school and Junior High), b) Secondary (including Senior High and Technical and Vocational Institutions), c) Tertiary (including Colleges of Education, Polytechnics, Diploma Awarding Post Secondary institutions, Universities) and d) Education Management Institutions in the Districts and Regions.

Core challenges that confront Ghanaian educational institutions are in the deployment plan identified as:• Physical and institutional infrastructure: including lack of adequate buildings, poor

infrastructure including in sufficient classrooms to accommodate computer lab space, lack of electricity (especially in rural areas).

• Curriculum, Media and Tools: including insufficient resources, including teaching resources.• Teacher availability: both in terms of number of teachers as well as teacher ICT capacity.Student skills: Including high dropout rates and lack of enthusiasm and lack of appropriate knowledge and skills to prepare for ICT examinations or face the demands of the world of work.The deployment plan proposes a response to these challenges through a Ghana e-Education Infrastructure Network Project (GeNIP). The project looks at ICT infrastructure requirements, Human resource development (teachers, technicians, management and administration), Curriculum and content, as well as Institutional structures at national, regional and district level.

3.6 Needs Analysis by Stakeholders

Additional to the objectives set out in the above reviewed documents the Needs Analysis carried out together with key partners in March and April 2011 emphasised the need for the Education Sector to address ICT issues in the below listed areas. The 2011 National Education Sector Annual Review (May 30 – June 1, 2011) further stressed the matter of ICT infrastructure requirements.

Fresh impetus for ICT: ICT have been identified as an engine of growth for Ghana as a nation. However, within the Education Sector ICT integration hasn’t received as much attention. There is a need to create fresh impetus for ICT in Education to regain momentum and attract funding to the sector.

ICT policy need for TVET: Following the Education Reforms in 2007 the TVET Sector went through substantial re-engineering. The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) was established with the mandate to formulate policies for skills development across the broad spectrum of pre-tertiary and tertiary education, formal, informal and non-formal, ensure quality in the delivery of access to technical and vocational education and training and facilitate research and development in technical and vocational education and training. Following this re-engineering the TVET sector acknowledges a need for a policy regarding integration of ICT in Technical Institutes. COTVET is the agency that should develop such a policy.

Management and administration: The new ESP 2010-2020 emphasises the need to improve information flows between administration and the educational institutions. For efficient administration and management of the Education Sector it is seen as vital to focus on ICT from


an information management perspective. How ICT can be used to improve planning, accurate data and dissemination of information should be addressed.

At the same time it was also acknowledged that a functional ICT in Education unit now is established.

Infrastructure: Infrastructure is key to realise the ICT vision for the Ghanaian Education Sector and the needs analysis further emphasised this matter. Many schools below senior high school level not only lack ICT equipment but also lack electricity. However, the Needs Analysis also show that how ICT equipment is distributed and accessed in educational institutions show potential to enable increased access to ICT.

During the 2011 National Education Sector Annual Review (May 30 – June 1, 2011) the infrastructure needs were further emphasised to realise set ambitions to promote science and technology education. The Education Sector plans to pursue the arrangement to establish ICT centres in Senior High Schools and Technical Institutes, and particularly provision of well equipped computer laboratories to selected Senior High Schools is vital to achieve this.

Inadequate ICT facilities in rural areas were also mentioned in the 2011 National Education Sector Annual Review as an issue that limit participation in distance education in these areas.

Curriculum: The Needs Analysis showed that the curricula had gone through substantial changes following the 2007 Education Reforms. ICT has been introduced as an official subject and the new syllabus is more participatory after the educational reforms.

Capacity building and pedagogical development: Capacity building of tutoring staff, both at ICT literacy level and subject specific pedagogical ICT integration level was deemed as very important. Having teachers able to use ICT as a pedagogical tool is vital to equip students with 21st Century skills and teachers must be empowered with and helped to these skills. The Education Sector also faces a general shortage of trained teachers, and new teachers should be equipped with a modern skill set that includes ICT and pedagogical development already in the teacher training institutions.

ICT skills development was also emphasised on a management and administration level, with the GES experiencing a need for trained ICT networkers and staff with know-how about planning, deployment and training for ICT in Education integration.

Digital content: The lack of capacity to develop and evaluate digital content is also emphasised in the Needs Analysis. Syllabus in an interactive format is desired and hence a plan for how to develop relevant capacities is required, embracing three different domains of knowledge; a) procurement of digital content, b) contextualisation of already developed digital content, and c) development of new digital content.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) if currently carried out by the ICT in Education unit, no independent M&E unit exists. A M&E unit is to be established but its capability to evaluate ICT integration initiatives remains unclear. The responsibility for M&E of ICT in Education initiatives need to be clarified and relevant processes implemented.

4 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES, PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS


4.1 Introduction

ICT is an enabling tool and a cost effective solution to improve education and increase access; it does not have the power to transform education per se. ICT must therefore not be singled out, but should be apprehended in a systemic way, within the context of challenges to meet, strategic issues to be addressed and key result areas to promote.

4.2 Overall goal: using ICT to increase access, equity, quality and relevance

The overall goal of this Strategic Implementation Plan is to further access, equity and enhance the quality of learning with the core principles and thematic streams of Ghana’s education policies and objectives. These same four concepts have been highlighted by UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector1 as challenges in education that can be met with the help of ICT. Indeed, experience has shown that the added value ICT can bring to education is perceptible in the creation of new opportunities for equitable access to education and greater quality and relevance in education.

ICT can increase access to education through various channels that can help reach learners outside the traditional classroom as well as pupils with disability and special needs. Many channels, including radio, television and the Internet, can provide distance education opportunities to large numbers of learners. The isolated communities, early school leavers, young adults and people with special needs can shift learning from a one-time event to a lifelong learning process via the formation of new communities of learning. The Digital Learning Resources have also proven to contribute to student motivation, retention and contribution to quality learning. The use of ICT in Education can permit economies of scale and therefore the spreading of consistent quality education to more learners.

Both quality and relevance of teaching and learning can also be enhanced by judicious use of modern technologies. ICT can support teacher professional development significant way by providing a range of educational resources, from guidance on best practices to structured distance education courses. It is used to train new teachers and give on-going support to in-service teachers, offering more immediate access to pedagogical resources and enhancing communication and collaboration. Access to quality educational materials benefits students as well, as they can use digital libraries and various on-line resources. Moreover, students are given the opportunity to acquire computer and information literacy and develop new technological skills, which are essential to workers in a knowledge society.

Promoting ICT to provide access to education for all and quality education that is relevant with regard to the labour market is the cornerstones of this Strategic Implementation Plan and is at the heart of the ESP 2010 – 2020, the National ICT4AD Policy and the draft ICT in Education Policy. The goal is to encourage programmes and projects that will maximise the benefits ICT can bring in providing access and quality. Concrete solutions for expanded access and enhanced quality in education are presented in detail in the Costed Implementation Plan2. All the solutions proposed are aligned with the strategic objectives in the following section.

4.3 Strategic Objectives

With the overarching objective of disseminating ICT throughout all pre-tertiary educational institutions to help attain quality education for all and equip learners with 21st Century skills, six strategic objectives will be given special focus during the period 2011-2015;

Objective 1: Create fresh impetus for and strengthen ICT in Education culture

1 GESCI forum, Dublin, April 2005.2 See Annex 2.


Objective 2: Develop appropriate Education Management support structures and policiesObjective 3: Expand ICT infrastructureObjective 4: Build capacity for ICT and pedagogical developmentObjective 5: Develop and distribute quality Digital Learning Resources Objective 6: Institute appropriate Monitoring & Evaluation procedures, Research and

Networking

Objective 1: Create fresh impetus for and strengthen ICT in Education culture: The GES will seek to spread awareness, knowledge and use of ICT in Education in order to regain momentum of ICT in Education initiatives and strengthen the understanding of how the Education Sector is interrelated to Ghana’s general ICT enabled growth strategies. This is likely to create fresh impetus for ICT in Education initiatives and thereby also increase the general receptiveness to such programmes. Among its objectives, it will make print and broadcast outreach material available and build an online portal to raise awareness on the benefits and limitations of ICT in Education, share good practices, and position Ghana with regard to international standards and ECOWAS in particular. ICT in Education champions will also be identified and supported through leadership trainings and workshop

Objective 2: Develop appropriate Education Management support structures and policiesThe GES will focus on improving its information management procedures, integrating appropriate ICT enabled management tools to improve accuracy in data flows as well as planning and implementation efficiency. To create an enabling environment for ICT in Education initiatives, the GES will also develop guidelines that will help build and strengthen synergies between different stakeholders and encourage the participation of local institutions (private, public and civil society) for support in terms of management, organisation and innovation. Principles, criteria and standards for ICT in Education activities in Ghana will be provided, along with a structure for coordination and implementation tools to help form close working relationships with policymakers, regulators, and other strategic stakeholders, nationally and regionally.

Objective 3: Expand ICT infrastructureExpanding and maintaining ICT infrastructure is an imperative objective for the GES in fostering ICT integration. Equipping schools with affordable power, ICT equipment and connectivity represents a vital first step towards the more equitable access to education, computer literacy and other essential skills for a knowledge-society workforce. The establishment of ICT centres in Primary, Junior High, Senior High Schools and Technical Institutes are part of ICT infrastructure expansion but also schools. The ICT facilities in rural areas will also be addressed to enable these communities to take advantage of distance education opportunities. The tertiary institutions shall plan and deploy their desire ICT infrastructure in consultation with MoE and GES. The technical and financial capacity to continuously maintain and upgrade ICT infrastructure is also covered under this objective as well as guidelines for how ICT equipment can be deployed in educational institutions to maximise the access to ICT facilities.

Objective 4: Build capacity for ICT and pedagogical developmentCapacity training programmes for use of ICT in teaching and learning will be developed and introduced to teachers, learners and school administrators. The programmes will accompany the infrastructural rollout to ensure that teachers and administrators are conversant with using the provided ICT equipment. Capacity development plans will be developed and specific ICT standards and competencies made available to ensure all capacity building courses are tailored


to local standards and requirements. Basic ICT literacy and ICT and pedagogical development will also be emphasised in the curricula of teacher training institutions.

ICT skills development at a management and administration level of the GES will also be addressed through creation of capacity development plans for training staff in planning and deployment of ICT in Education.

Objective 5: Develop and distribute quality Digital Learning Resources Quality Digital Learning Resources (DLR) for all pre-tertiary educational levels will be acquired, contextualized, developed and distributed within the country and the GES will ensure that all new DLR is aligned with the Curriculum. A plan for building national capacity to develop and distribute quality DLR will be implemented; involving three pronged strategy such as Acquire, Contextualize and Create through the Curriculum Research and Development Division (CRDD).

The Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) will be further pursued in the country with the aim to expand access and equity. The GES will facilitate its development within training institutions, particularly in underserved areas where infrastructure and training providers are insufficient.

Objective 6: Institute appropriate Monitoring & Evaluation procedures, Research and Networking

A framework presenting procedures for how to monitor and evaluate implementation of the various components of ICT in Education programmes will be defined by the GES. The responsibility for monitoring and evaluation of ICT in Education initiatives remains with the GES until an independent M&E unit is established. The responsibility for monitoring and evaluation can then potentially be shifted after appropriate knowledge transfers have taken place.


4.4 Logical framework: Priority outputs and indicators

No. Output Key Activities Indicators Targets Assumptions

1. Objective 1: Create fresh impetus for and strengthen ICT in Education cultureKey Result: Spread awareness, knowledge and use of ICT in EducationKey Assumptions: Availability of resources

1.1 Availability of print outreach material

Develop and print content about ICT in Education

Identify channels for the distribution of printed outreach content

Number of articles about ICT in Education published

Size of population reached

Develop print materials during the year 2011

GES will establish partnerships with print channels

1.2 Availability of broadcast outreach material

Develop broadcast content about potential of ICT in Education

Identify broadcast channels for the distribution of outreach content

Number of broadcasts about ICT in Education aired

Size of population reached

Develop broadcast materials during the year 2011

GES will establish partnerships with broadcast channels

Multiple languages will be used to reach the population

1.3 Increased number of ICT in Education champions

Conduct ICT in Education leadership trainings and awareness campaign

Number of champions trained and awareness programmes conducted

Ongoing capacity building

2. Objective 2: Develop appropriate Education Management support structures and policiesKey Result: Established unit / department and capacitated to manage ICT in Education initiatives and programmesKey Assumptions: Availability of resources

2.1 Establishment of an ICT in Education Steering Committee at the MoE and GES

Develop ToR and appoint appropriate individuals from the MoE and GES

Identify roles & responsibilities between MoE-GES and programme implementing agencies

Established ICT in Education Steering Committee

Official communication and clarity among the institutions in-terms of roles and responsibilities

Year 2011 Approval of organisation structure

Draft ICT in Education Strategic Plan 22


Advise on strategic ICT and Education issues

2.2 Establishment of ICT in Education coordination unit

Develop ToR / Job description and hire appropriate talent resources

Organise working arrangements and coordinate ICT in Education activities

Established ICT in Education coordination unit

Official communication and clarity among the institutions regarding ICT in Education activities

Year 2011 Approval of organisation structure

2.3 Capacity building among the talent resource of ICT in Education unit

On-going capacity building for the ICT in Education staffs as well as coordinators of GES programme implementing agencies

ICT in Education unit effectively coordinating and implementing the ICT in Education programmes

Regional & District ICT Coordinators effectively coordinating ICT in Education activities at Regional/District level

Educational institutions implementing ICT Integration Committees and Technology Plans

Ongoing 2011 onwards

Budget available for capacity building



3. Objective 3: Expand ICT infrastructureKey Result: Deploy and maintain ICT infrastructureKey Assumptions: Availability of resources

3.1 Availability of electricity in the schools

Liaise with District Assemblies to provide electricity connection to the schools where the ICT deployment is prioritised

Number of schools connected to grid power / alternative means of electricity

100% Techn. Inst., 100% SHS,75% JHS, 50% Primary schools enabled with electricity by 2015

Deployment of electricity connection precede with the deployment of ICT equipment

3.2 Availability of ICT infrastructure for students and teachers across College of Education, Technical Institutes, SHS, JHS and Primary schools

Deployment of ICT infrastructure

Acquisition and deployment of relevant Computer Aided Design Software

LAN extended to all campuses and classrooms

No. of schools deployed with ICT infrastructure

No. of Technical Institutes equipped with relevant Computer Aided Design Software

100% Techn. Inst., 100% SHS, 75% JHS,50% Primary schools enabled with electricity by 2015

Availability of resources

3.3 Availability of affordable high-speed connectivity

Deploy connectivity to targeted schools including the hardware and software to make adequate use of connectivity (LAN, security firewalls, content filtering, antivirus)

Review existing connectivity contracts

Number of schools connected

Amount of available bandwidth to schools

Failure rate of connectivity provision

All the schools deployed with ICT infrastructure is connected with internet facility

Availability of last-mile connectivity solutions

Available resources to acquire needed hardware and software



3.4 Availability of technical and financial capacity to maintain and upgrade infrastructure

Conduct technical training of maintenance providers inside and outside schools including the Annual Maintenance Contracts with the vendors

Functional ICT infrastructure at the schools and available for students and teachers use.

All the students and teachers effectively using the deployed ICT infrastructure for teaching & learning, communication, admin and networking

Availability of financial and technical resources

3.5 Innovative solutions Explore partnerships and set up living lab projects for on-going innovations and policy feedback

Partnerships signed with leading organizations for ongoing research and innovations

Ongoing Availability of research and innovation fund

3.6 e-waste management Develop e-waste management plan

Raise awareness on e-waste management with educational institutions

Official communication and clarity about e-waste management procedures among educational institutions

e-waste management plan developed and communicated in 2011

Availability of financial and technical resources

4. Objective 4: Build capacity for ICT and pedagogical developmentKey Result: Develop capacity among education administrators, teacher educators, teachers and learners to use ICT effectivelyKey Assumptions: Availability of financial resources and creation of enabling environment for participation in the capacity development

4.1 Availability and adoption of ICT competencies for education administrators, teacher educators, teachers and earners

Identify and adapt ICT competencies

Raise awareness about the use of ICT standards and competencies

Publication of national ICT standards and competencies

ICT Competency Standards – 2011

Curriculum development 2011

On-going Capacity building starting from 2012

Availability of validated ICT standards and competencies and continued support from partners agencies including the funding support from MoE / GES and development partners



4.2 Improved capacity for integrating ICT into teaching, learning, and administrating

Train trainers about national ICT standards and competencies

Develop training manuals

Train teachers, learners, and administrators to integrate ICT practices

Number of trainers trained in competency standards

Number of teachers, administrators, and learners trained

Number of manuals developed

All the teacher educators trained by 2012

100% of Teachers trained in SHS, JHS and Primary schools where the ICT is deployed

Identification of appropriate partners / consultants for contextualising ICT competency standards and building the curriculum.

Availability of financial resources.

4.3 Innovative solutions Continued partnership with strategic advisors

No. of innovative practices produced from Ghana with the reference to global best practices

At least one innovative practices per annum

Continued interest from partner organizations and funding support



5. Objective 5: Develop and distribute quality Digital Learning Resources (DLR)Key Result: Effective integration of DLR by the teachers and studentsKey Assumptions: Availability of financial resources and enabling environment

5.1 Availability of DLR at all levels including the special education

Identify the required DLR for Technical Institutes, SHS, JHS and Primary schools

Define digital content selection framework

Adopt, adapt or Develop digital content

Conduct pilots, adapt the media to specific contexts and disseminate using appropriate channels

Periodical update content

Quantity of course content acquired / contextualised / developed

Number of channels of distribution used and availability of the relevant content materials at all the schools

Procure / contextualize / Develop all the e-content modules for SHS, JHS, Primary schools, Special Education 2013.

Identification of content already available

Validation process in place

Economic resources to buy, develop and license contentProcesses and resources to regularly redistribute content

5.2 Innovative solutions Partner with the potential private sector organisations and encourage innovative e-content development practices and Virtual Leaning Environments

CRDD partnering with appropriate agencies for producing e-content modules and capacity building within CRDD

At least one innovative content modules developed per year and documented for scaling up

Availability of financial resources



6. Objective 6: Institute appropriate Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Research and Networking proceduresKey Result: Effective M&E in place and periodical feedback is used for course correction and policy refinement Key Assumptions: Establishment of appropriate partnerships and availability of financial resources

6.1 MoE and GES building the robust M&E system including the EMIS for effective monitoring and evaluation of the ICT in Education Programmes

Building the M&E platform Data collected, analysed and reports produced

M&E inputs and EMIS data used for effective planning purposes

Appropriate partnerships established and availability of financial resources

6.2 Establish partnership with Regional, Continental and International level partnership for on-going research

On-going research and sharing of knowledge produced from Ghana in the area of ICT in Education

Research outcomes shared with peer countries as well as used for evidenced based policy refinement

At least one research commissioned per year

Appropriate partnerships established

6.3 Established community of practices

Actively participate in forums such as Africa Knowledge Exchange and e-Learning Africa Conference etc.,

No. of articles contributed for the Regional / Continental / International community

No. of Ghana ICT in Education Newsletters distributed

At least one innovative paper produced per annum and shared with global community

At least two newsletters produced and shared per annum

Appropriate forums for sharing the experience established

4.5 Budget

Indicative budget for the major activities as outlined in the appendices such as ICT infrastructure, DLR, Capacity building and Monitoring & Evaluation for the period of 5 years (2011-2016) is GHS 919,315,212/-


5 IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION

5.1 Introduction

The process of enhancing education is a long-term objective that requires continuous and rigorous planning, monitoring and evaluating. To ensure sustainability, an early task will be to design an implementation plan that gives a realistic overview of ICT in Education programmes and activities, and monitoring and evaluation tools will be designed for their optimal management.

5.2 Implementation

This document is only the first milestone in the strategic planning process on ICT in Education. The estimated costing for the outlined strategic plan is provided as part of Annex 2. In order to meet the objectives set in the Strategic Implementation Plan, annual action plans will be drawn up for activities at all levels. The Logical Framework Approach (LFA) will be used to describe the major programmes and projects and a log-frame matrix developed for each programme and project. Activities and programmes that are already implemented or planned will be reviewed, and priorities will be defined, in line with the Strategic Implementation Plan.

Performance indicators will also be developed and reviews of programmes will be conducted on a regular basis in order to evaluate the success of the Strategic Implementation Plan. The Plan will be updated regularly, in accordance with the results of the monitoring and evaluation processes.

5.3 Monitoring

A monitoring process will be carried out by the ICT in Education coordination office which is part of GES. As part of the monitoring of programmes, the ICT in Education coordination unit shall submit the periodical report to the Directorate General of GES. The GES shall produce regular donor updates and an annual report for MoE and development partners. It will seek to involve all relevant stakeholders in the setting of indicators and the monitoring process, and ensure they are committed to its goals.

Indicators for the monitoring of activities will be developed at two levels. Quantitative and qualitative indicators will be developed to measure access to ICT in Education and the impact on education quality. However, the five-year period covered by this Strategic Implementation Plan is rather too limited for direct measurement of impact of ICT on education quality. In consequence, baseline indicators will have to be carried through to a subsequent plan for precise results.

5.4 Evaluation of activities and programmes

The ICT in Education unit of GES will carry out regular evaluation of its activities and programmes in order to ensure that they are adequate and have attained the set targets. A situation analysis will be conducted prior to the implementation of the activities and programmes in order to establish a baseline. The Programme plans will be reviewed on a quarterly basis to determine whether priorities should be adjusted. The long-term programmes will be reviewed at mid-course to ensure they are delivering results, in line with the Strategic Implementation Plan objectives and targets.

At the end of partnership agreements and before renewing Memorandums of Understanding, the programmes or projects that have ended will be evaluated to determine if the original objectives have been attained, and if not decide on the next steps to be taken.


As concerns the specific evaluation of teacher training and learner skills, competency standards will be developed. Grade-level performance of learners will be measured, and teacher training evaluation will be based on the contextualised ICT Competency Standards that has been developed based on UNESCO’s ICT competency standards for teachers.

5.5 Human resources

The ICT in Education coordination unit will be staffed with qualified individuals in the areas of technology, education, educational technology, project management, and research. The unit will closely coordinate with GES programme implementing agencies such as CRDD and TED for effective implementation of the ICT in Education programmes.

Structure of the Directorate General Office of the Science & Technology TeamThe ICT in Education Coordination unit will be directed by a senior qualified individual who is capable of driving the strategic and implementation plans and will report to the DG – GES. A permanent Director position for the ICT in Education coordination unit shall be assisted by permanent / contract staff for specific programmes that require support. Additional expertise (consultants, secondments from strategic partners) will also be sought for short-term missions.

Guiding principlesThe staff policies will be drawn up in collaboration with other MoE and GES programme implementing agencies in order to ensure they are all synchronized and consistent. The ICT in Education coordination unit will establish processes and guidelines for the transparent and equitable treatment of its staff, and ensure its human resources policy is sufficiently attractive to retain skilled and knowledgeable staff.


APPENDIX 1

Summary of Costing:

Costed Strategy implementation plan for ICT in Education in Ghana 2011 to 2016

Sl. No Description Cost for 5 years (GHC) Remarks

1 ICT infrastructure 791,329,212

Covering all colleges of Education, Technical Institutes, Primary schools, JHS and SHS over a period of 5 years

2 Digital Learning Resources 29,845,000 3 Capacity development and M&E 98,141,000

Grand Total 919,315,212

Note: The detailed costing is available in a separate excel file.


APPENDIX 2

COST PER SCHOOL AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL

HARDWARE Description QTY UNIT COST (GHC) TOTAL COST (GHC)

Desktops (Complete Host PCs) 3 1127.00 3,381.00 Keyboard 30 10.35 310.50 Mouse 30 6.90 207.00 Desktop Monitors 30 345.00 10,350.00 Ncomputing X550 PCI +5 Access Terminals 3 1138.50 3,415.50 Network Printer 1 575.00 575.00 Professional Headset 34 17.25 586.50 Scanner 1 230.00 230.00 Laptops 2 1380.00 2,760.00 Projector 1 1725.00 1,725.00 RJ 45 Connectors 70 0.75 52.33 Network Trunking Pipe (38x25x2900m) + Nail

10 3.45 34.50

Cat5e Cable (Box) 1 287.50 287.50 UPS Solution 3 172.50 517.50 Installation (Network) 1 207.00 207.00 Total Equipment 24,639.33 SOFTWARE Linux (Obuntu) -Dual Boot Ms-Windows

1 0.00 0.00

Open Office Ms–Office

3 3 9.00

Microsoft Encarta 1 120 120.00 Digital Content in Curricular Areas. Eg. Science & Maths as in Skoool.com

0 0.00

Mavis Beacon 1 120 120.00 Novoasoft ScienceWord working tool with USB Encrypted Device

1 150 150.00

Antivirus 1 4000 4000.00 4,399.00

Total Cost per Senior High School / Technical Institute: GHC29,039.00 (33-seater computer laboratory proposed -3 host PCs and thirty other terminals)


APPENDIX 3

DEPLOYMENT COST PER PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND JHS

HARDWAREDescription QTY UNIT COST (GHC) TOTAL COST (GHC)

Desktops (Complete Host PCs) 2 1127.00 2254.00 Keyboard 20 10.35 207.00 Mouse 20 6.90 138.00 Desktop Monitors 20 345.00 6900.00 Ncomputing X550 PCI +5 Access Terminals

2 1138.50 2277.00

Network Printer 1 575.00 575.00 Television 1 350.00 350.00 CD/DVD Recorder Player 1 150.00 150.00 Radio 1 50.00 50.00 Scanner 1 230.00 230.00 Laptops 1 1380.00 1380.00 Projector 1 1725.00 1725.00 RJ 45 Connectors 25 0.75 18.69 Network Trunking Pipe (38x25x2900m) + Nail

4 3.45 13.80

Cat5e Cable (Box) 1/2 box 143.75 143.75 UPS Solution 2 172.50 345.00 Installation (Network) 1 207.00 207.00 Total Equipment 16,964.24 SOFTWARE Linux (Obuntu) -Dual Boot Ms-Windows

1 0.00

Open Office Ms–Office

1 3.00 3.00

Microsoft Encarta/Wikipedia 1 50.00 50.00 Mavis Beacon 1 120.00 120.00

Total 173.00 Total amount for Hardware and Software per primary school is GHC17,138.00(22-seater computer laboratory proposed -2 host PCs and thirty other terminals)


APPENDIX 4Technical Requirements DESKTOP PC MINIMUM SPECIFICATIONS (FOR HOST PCS) Minimum Required Specifications Offered Specifications NUMBER /TYPE OF CPU Intel Pentium Dual Core 2.0 GHz CACHE - LEVEL 1 Minimum 128 KB CACHE - LEVEL 2 Minimum 512 KB

RAM 4 GB, DDR2 DISK STORAGE (MINIMUM) 250 GB, EIDE/SATA EXPANSION SLOTS At least 3 PCI slots and 1 AGP slot.

PORTS Serial, 1 Parallel, 4 USB, and 2 PS/2 , card reader PARALLEL PORTS ECP or EPP NETWORK INTERFACE CARD 1 Ethernet port 10Mbps/ 100Mbps/1000 Mbps, with

RJ-45 interface. WIRELESS NETWORK INTERFACE CARD PCI Wireless Cards(54Mbps)

MODEM 1 RJ-11 port

GRAPHICS ADAPTER AGP 16x, Minimum 128 VRAM, up to 2040x1536 Resolution

MONITOR 17'' Inch LCD Flat screen DVD-RW 16x MOUSE 2 Button, with Scroll Button (Optical) KEYBOARD Windows 98/2000, Local language & Soft touch. MULTIMEDIA Full Multimedia, 64 bit sound INTEGRATION On board integration with ability to disable and install

new. SOFTWARE (DUAL BOOT) Windows XP SP2; pre-installed with re-installation CD Linux OS pre-installed with installation CD POWER PLUGS 3 PIN RECTANGULAR, 13 AMPS PLATFORM PC FORM FACTOR (CHASSIS) Desktop or Tower WARRANTY 3 years Warranty OTHERS : Dust Covers & Mouse pad. UPS system (see specs )


LAPTOP COMPUTERS TYPE OF CPU Intel® Pentium Dual-Core 1.80GHz

WIFI ENABLED 802.11b/g wireless RAM 2GB DDR2 DISK STORAGE 250 GB HDD DVD/CD-RW DRIVE Dual Layer DVD-RW MONITOR 15.4” WXGA Crystal/TrulBrite Technology GRAPHICS ADAPTER Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator CARD READER MMC/SD, Memory Stick, smartmedia/xD FSB 533 MHz L2 CACHE 1 MB PORT 4 USB, firewire, S-video, RJ 45, RJ 11 CARRIER BAG Yes ADAPTER/CHARGER Yes OPERATING SYSTEM. (Dual boot)

Windows XP SP2; pre-installed with re-installation CD and Linux OS pre-installed with installation CD

UPS FOR DESKTOP

CAPACITY 750VA, Line interactiveINPUT VOLTAGE 160 – 290V OUTPUT VOLTAGE 230+/- 20 FREQUENCY 50 hz ON BATTERY VOLTAGE 230 Vac SURGE VOLTAGE LET-THROUGH <0.3% of peak OUTPUT WAVEFORM Pure Sine Wave BACK UP TIME ON LOAD At least 30 Minutes POWER OUTLETS 6 Standard Front Panel Diagnostics System Status: Green/Red Utility Off: Red UPS Off: Red

Low Battery: Red Logic Fault: Red UPS Overload: Red Over-Temperature: Red Load on Utility: Red AC Voltage: Meter

LCD PROJECTOR IMAGE BRIGHTNESS Minimum 2000 Ansi Lumens

WEIGHT Maximum 8kg COMPATIBILITY PC, Mac PROJECTION METHOD Front, Rear, Ceiling Mount. LAMP LIFE Minimum 1500 Hours COLOR SUPPORT 32 Bit RESOLUTION Minimum 800 x 600 VIDEO COMPATIBILITY NTSC, PAL, SECAM PORTABLE Yes SPEAKERS Built in INTERFACES Din 9-Pin, USB, PS/2 and Audio/Video SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES Carrying Case, Power Cable, Remote Control, 2 AA

Batteries, Computer Cable, Audio/Video Cable, PS/2 Cable, USB Cable and Manuals, Remote Control

WARRANTY 1 Year Minimum


SCANNER SCANNER TYPE Flatbed

MINIMUM RESOLUTION 1200 x 1200 dpi (Dots per Inch) INPUT TYPE Color MAXIMUM COLOR DEPTH 48-bit Color SCANNER FORM FACTOR Desktop SCAN MODE Single Pass COMPATIBILITY PC, MAXIMUM SUPPORTED MEDIA SIZE A4 or Legal OCR SUPPORT Yes INTERFACE TYPE USB INCLUDED SOFTWARE OCR Software, Photo Editing Software & Scanning

Drivers SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 95.98, Windows ME, Windows 2000 &

Windows XP WARRANTY 1 Year

LASER PRINTER PRINT SPEED Minimum 30ppm (Pages Per Minute)

PROCESSOR 266 MHz COLOR PRINTING Black & White (No Color) PRINT TECHNOLOGY & QUALITY Laser; Minimum 600 x 600 dpi (Dots Per Inch) ENVELOPE PRINTING SUPPORT Yes PAPER HANDLING Minimum 500 Sheets at once. SUPPORTED MEDIA SIZES Letter, legal, executive, A4, A5, MEMORY 64 -128 MB RAM PORTS/CONNECTIVITY IEEE 1284-compliant bidirectional parallel, USB.

Must have an Ethernet port. STANDARD PRINT LANGUAGES PCL 6, Postscript Level 2 DRIVERS INCLUDED Windows 95/98, NT, Win ME, Windows 2000,

Macintosh. Support for OS/2 and Linux. WARRANTY 1 Year


2. SOFTWARE a) OPERATING SYSTEM (For Desktops and Laptops)

Both Microsoft Windows and Open Source Linux will be supported. Version Numbers provided here specify the minimum required specification version. Required Specification Offered Specification:

Microsoft Windows Windows XP Pro with SP 2 for Desktop PCs and Laptops OR Windows XP embedded for diskless thin-client workstations or equivalent with support in Ghana.

Free and Open Source (FOSS) Open Lab Linux/GNU, SUSE, Redhat, Ubuntu or equivalent with support in Ghana

APPLICATION SOFTWARE Required Specification Qty Offered Specification Microsoft Office Suite 2007 and Open Office 2.6. CDs required

1

Application Software and device drivers - CD required

1

Microsoft Encarta 2008 CD required 1 Novoasoft ScienceWord 5.0 with USB encrypted Device CD required

1

Antivirus Software (or Symantec Enterprise Edition) 1 NEToP Class Management Software 1 “Supernova Software” for Special Needs 1


Government & Nonprofit

Draft ict in education strategic implementation plan ghana-2011-07-15