Accra, July 5, GNA. Ghanaian consumer electronic company, Emperor Electronic System Ltd, on Tuesday launched the "U-Teach Africa Project" to offer solutions that complement the efforts of government to provide education and training to reduce illiteracy and poverty.

A press release signed by Mr Derrick Kwesi Nartey, Managing Director, said the company had begun full operation to research and develop innovative consumer electronic products designed to address specific development needs of developing countries such as Ghana. It said under the project, the company had set up an online video sharing platform that would eventually host the largest collection of educational videos for students in Junior High, Senior High and tertiary schools on www.emperor-electrinics.com/uteachafrica.

The platform is also expected to host training videos in basketry, bead making, book craft, calabash art, catering, graphic design, leatherwork, picture-making, pottery, sculpture, sewing and textiles to assist people who may want to acquire some vocational skills to start money-making ventures on their own. "The primary objective of the project is to provide sustainable opportunities for the disadvantaged in Ghana, especially students in deprived schools to use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a means of gaining access to education, creating job opportunities and consequently to reduce poverty," the press release said.

The project also has a "U-Teach Africa Video Platform" which is an open platform where academicians around the world interested in supporting education in Africa can submit videos on any subject matter or topic and share with students in Africa. "Students can also record group discussion sessions and upload under various subjects on the platform to share with fellow students who are looking for similar solutions to questions under courses they study."

The company said it was also hiring experienced teachers in Ghana to teach some of the subjects approved by the West African Examinations Council and upload the recorded videos onto the U-Teach Africa Video Platform. "Students, especially those in deprived schools in the country who lack teachers to handle some of the subjects could also learn through the service and compete with students in better equipped schools."

The statement said users of the facility who had access to the internet could also watch videos on line. Those with no internet connections, for example, students in deprived schools, have the option of downloading the videos at ICT centres or internet cafes in nearby towns and cities. The company said in order to offer students the ability to access the educational and training videos, it would assemble affordable multimedia players, tablet PCs and notebooks in Ghana priced between GH¢150 and GH¢500.