By Sheila Obaapa Naana Frimpomaa
The Member of Parliament for Effutu, Osahen Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has reaffirmed his commitment to improving teaching and learning by expanding his One Teacher, One Laptop Initiative, describing it as a strategic investment in education rather than a political gesture.
Speaking at a ceremony to present laptops to newly posted teachers in the Effutu Municipality, Afenyo-Markin said the initiative was aimed at bridging the digital resource gap confronting teachers and equipping them with the tools needed to deliver quality education in an increasingly technology-driven environment.
He stressed that the programme was neither an annual ceremonial exercise nor one dictated by the political calendar, but a deliberate intervention introduced whenever genuine need arises.
According to him, many newly posted teachers assume duty without the essential digital tools required to prepare lesson notes, manage continuous assessments and access the Ghana Education Service’s digital platforms.
“This initiative is a personal response to a genuine need. I do not donate for the sake of donating. I respond because teachers have made it clear, both in words and through their daily challenges, that these tools will make their work easier and improve classroom delivery,” he said.
The Effutu legislator noted that technology has become indispensable to modern education, with teachers now expected to prepare digital lesson plans, upload continuous assessment scores, access online curriculum resources, participate in virtual professional development programmes and communicate effectively through digital platforms.
He described a laptop as an indispensable teaching tool, arguing that expecting teachers to deliver quality education without one was comparable to sending a soldier to the battlefield without a weapon.
“A teacher without a laptop today is like a soldier sent to the frontline without a rifle. We cannot demand excellence while denying teachers the tools needed to achieve it,” he stated.
Afenyo-Markin said the initiative should not be viewed as an act of charity but as a long-term investment in Ghana’s human capital and the future of the country’s children.
“When I equip one teacher, I am investing in every child who will pass through that teacher’s classroom, not only this year but for many years to come,” he added.
He explained that laptops would significantly reduce the time teachers spend on administrative tasks, allowing them to devote more attention to lesson delivery, mentoring and the overall development of their pupils.
Welcoming the newly posted teachers, the MP described Winneba as Ghana’s “home of education” and urged them to uphold the municipality’s rich educational tradition by demonstrating professionalism, dedication and excellence in the classroom.
The presentation ceremony was attended by officials of the Effutu Municipal Directorate of Education, traditional authorities, teachers and other education stakeholders, all of whom reiterated the importance of leveraging technology to improve learning outcomes across the municipality.