University of Ghana to set up laptop assembly plant to support students

The University of Ghana, Legon, has awarded contracts for the setting up of a laptop assembly plant on campus to further support students’ access to laptops at highly competitive prices.

Since August 2022, the University has distributed 309 laptops to its students under the One Student, One Laptop initiative.

The University, with support from individuals and corporate bodies, had donated 500 laptops to students who could not afford them.

Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, announced this on Tuesday in Accra during a congregational ceremony for the School of Graduate Studies.

In all, 15,549 students are graduating from the PhD to the non-degree level.

The Professor said the university’s efforts in inclusivity provided basic ICT training for seven visually impaired students in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications.

The training, she stressed, was hosted by the University’s Assistive Technology Lab to enhance the educational experience and equip the students for challenges in the digital workplace.

The Professor said the University commissioned the University of Ghana-Toyota Ghana School of Engineering Sciences Training Centre in October 2023.

That, she explained, was in line with the University’s commitment to ensuring that the students were prepared for the job market.

“This facility exemplifies the synergy between academia and industry and is a significant contribution and investment to the University’s engineering programme.

Toyota Ghana has committed to providing $2 million worth of engineering equipment over ten years to support the training of the University’s engineering students.

Toyota Ghana’s donation of a 33-seater Toyota Coaster bus further supports our commitment to enhancing student mobility,” she added.

The Vice-Chancellor said the University had introduced an open randomised bed allocation system to improve access to student accommodation.

She said the system would ensure a fair and transparent process in bed allocation and offer students an equal opportunity to be allocated a room irrespective of their internet connectivity status, which had been a challenge in the past.

Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, Senior Partner, KPMG Ghana, advised the graduates to be ambassadors of positive change and always strive to make positive contributions to society.

“You need to think, dream, and act positively in any corner you find yourself in to be successful in life,” he said.

He encouraged the graduates to be deliberate in making change happen and use the knowledge acquired to make a positive impact on the country and beyond.

Dr John Boiquaye, the best graduating student from the School of Graduate Studies, thanked the University for the honour and pledged to use the knowledge gained to benefit humanity.

Dr Boiquaye, who graduated with a total grade point average of 3.90 in his PhD in Mathematics, said patience, perseverance, and dedication were key to success.