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Solar Electricity and ICT for Rural Schools in Ghana
About 80% of the rural communities in Ghana do not have access to electricity. Despite the obvious connection between electricity and educational achievement, major steps have to be taken to provide a cheaper source of energy for educational purposes. Such an absence of focus is detrimental because, as another study put it, “education is also widely recognized as one of the most essential components for poverty reduction.” Lack of electricity at primary and secondary schools, therefore, creates considerable obstacles towards escaping poverty and correlates with many factors that contribute directly towards it.
Rural electrification programs have focused on connecting villages incrementally to the existing grid, typically reaching towns and settlements in order of the least expensive.
Solar Electricity and ICT for Rural Schools in Ghana
Our project is designed to help schoolchildren in rural Ghana to receive solar energy system that will provide electricity for lighting, which will enable classes to be taught early in the morning or late at night. Electricity access will facilitate the introduction of ICTs into the classroom such as computers. We also hope to seek assistance and funding to provide technical assistance for solar lights to these needy schoolchildren. However, The SEED Project is not in the position to finance such a project. This is because of the low financial capacity of our organization, and our inability to raise substantial funding for rural development interventions locally.
The project will reach out to schoolchildren in rural areas all over Ghana. We intend targeting all schools lacking electricity for this intervention.
Solar Electricity and ICT for Rural Schools in Ghana
We can ascertain at least five positive benefits related to the electrification of schools:
(1) lighting and extended studying hours,
(2) facilitation of ICT in the classroom,
(3) enhanced staff retention and teacher training,
(4) better school performance based on attendance, completion rates, and Energy and Education test scores, and
(5) co-benefits such as improved sanitation and health, gender empowerment, and community resilience.
The SEED Project is currently holding discussions with parents and teachers on this initiative for their contribution to ensure that the project succeeds.
