INTEL Corporation to train 2,500 teachers

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March 13, 2009

INTEL Corporation, a computer firm is to train 2,500 teachers in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) under its Intel Teach Programme by the end of this year.
The programme which is undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is part of the company’s World Ahead Programme which aims at reaching 1 billion people through ICT to improve their lives.
The Corporate Affairs Manager of Intel Corporation, Mr Ekundare Olubunmi, disclosed this at the opening of a five-day training of trainers programme for 42 teachers in Accra.
The teachers are from both first and second cycle institutions. They were selected by their heads of schools.
The Programme helps teachers to understand how, when and where to bring tools , resources and technology into their classrooms.
“We need to train the teachers who impart knowledge by bringing them up to speed with ICT,” Mr Olubunmi said, adding that the company wanted to train the teachers so that they could integrate technology in the classroom.
He said the World Ahead Programme, focused on four areas; accessibility, content, connectivity and education.
After training the teachers, he said they would also train other teachers in their schools, and indicated that the ministry had been advised to conduct its own independent evaluation of the training.
Mr Olubunmi indicated that the company was in talks with the ministry to start the teacher assisted personnel computer purchase programme, and that the initiative was to enable teachers to own their own computers at affordable prices.
He said, the company had spent about $1 billion world wide. “The programme in Ghana is a critical part of our programmes. For us, we are building the future of the children,” he said.
Mr Olubunmi said the company had received tremendous support from the ministry and would ensure that the desired objectives were achieved.
He said Intel believed that education was key to a productive future. To date, the programme has trained more than five million teachers in more than 40 countries, and is committed to reaching 13 million teachers by 2011.