Agatha Gaisie-Nketsiah Board Member 16 December 2008 at OLPC, Cambridge, MA

1. Agatha Gaisie-Nketsiah Board Member 16 December 2008 at OLPC, Cambridge, MA BWL Foundation “Improving Equity & Quality in Primary Education” F baah-wiredu laptop foundation

2. In Loving Memory of Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance & Economic Planning (2005 – 2008) Initiator and relentless advocate of the olpcprogramme

3. Presentation Agenda • Background • bwlpc idea • Pilot & early lessons • Project goals & objectives • Project description & components • Cost structure • Project management • Conclusion

4. “Education access has greatly improved on the strength of new gov’t initiatives” • Right to basic education is enshrined in Ghana’s constitution “All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realization of this right, basic education shall be free, compulsory and available for all”. • Gov’t, to ensure this right, has implemented initiatives to improve school enrollment: • Capitation grants • School Feeding Programme • School construction

5. “…yet quality and equity still lag behind for children in rural and remote areas” • Public school students are at a marked disadvantage compared to their urban, private school counterparts: • 3x more likely to drop out by class 5 • 3x more likely to repeat • 7x less likely to receive university education • Girls are 3x more likely to get pregnant by 18 • 10x more likely to live below poverty line as adults • Thus, parents would rather use children for labour, which generates income, than send them to school

6. “poor education quality has devastating effects on our economy & development” • 82% of children attend public schools, thus, disparity in quality drives: • Widening inequities in Socio Economic Status – poor quality education limits options for escaping the poverty trap • Limited human resources to accelerate progress towards middle income status

7. “Innovation is needed to improve quality & bridge disparities” • Building new schools, training new teachers, producing new text books require large investments; and take a long time to impact education quality • Given the 2015 deadline for middle income status we do not have the luxury of time

8. “baah-wiredu laptop per child idea” • 2007 Budget Statement of Ghana computers for basic schools captured as policy initiative • olpc concept tabled as joint memo by Ministers of Education & Finance to Cabinet • 2008 Budget allocated $3m Initiator and relentless advocate of the olpc programme

9. “olpc collaboration” • olpc invited to Ghana • Matt Keller met with: • H.E. The President of Ghana • Ministers of Finance, Education & Communication • Minister of State for Education • Seniors Officers in Education • CEO of KATI • Media • Matt visited schools

10. “olpc collaboration” • Follow-up Meetings: • David, Matt, Juliano • Seminar at KATI

11. “olpc collaboration” • Meeting with H.E. the President with Negroponte in USA: • Meeting of Robert and Matt with the Board of Directors • Meeting with Robert, Matt and Board of Directors with H.E. President of Ghana • Commitment of 1m laptops by H.E.

12. “bwlpc pilot implementation team in ghana” • Implementation Team for Pilot: • MoESS • AITI- KACE • MoFEP • GICTED • Fulbright Scholar from ASHESI UNIVERSITY • Team attended a Five-Day Meeting for olpc country partners in Cambridge

13. “bwlpc can work in both urban and rural public schools in ghana” • bwlpc has pilots in 2 schools, with with class 4 pupils in: • Kanda cluster of schools, urban • Bonsaaso primary school, rural • Early lessons: • Classrooms are transformed – teachers move around more, & pupils work in groups • Pupils are energized & engaged • Reading & computational skills have improved • Laptops hold up well under harsh conditions

14. “what the children are saying…” “Before the laptop came, I used to get maybe 50%, maybe 60% in Maths. But now we had a test and I got 90%.” “I did not know the names of all the people in my class. Now I can see all their names on my laptop.” “I want to say Thank you to the people who brought us the laptops. Now even my mother is happy that I go to school.” I wish that the other children in the school could have it too. Everyone is wishing they were in class 4.”

15. “what the teachers are saying…” “I paid an impromptu visit to pupils’ homes. No one knew I was coming. Everywhere I went, the child was at home, working on their laptop.” “Other teachers would like to use this in their class too. But they don’t know how to use the computer. All teachers should be taught and be involved.” “I’ve realized that some of the pupils outside the class are even better at using the laptop than those in class 4. I am happy because it means they are teaching the other children and sharing their knowledge.”

16. “what the parents are saying…” “With the laptop, my child does not go to watch all those bad films in the village.” “Unfortunately, there is no internet in the village so our children cannot connect to the internet. We hope we will have internet soon.” “Our child wakes up early to finish all her chores so she will have enough time to work on her laptop before going to school.”

17. “several components are needed to ensure the project’s success” Content Development Teacher training Communication Strategy Planned collaborative projects Key inputs into the programme Accessories – Server, Solar panels, connectivity Institutional support

18. “an institutional backbone has already been created to manage the scale-up”

19. ““an institutional backbone - structure” H.E. President - Patron

20. “the foundation includes professionals from both the public & private sectors” • BWLPC foundation, registered as limited liability company, will oversee and supervise the implementation process • Directors of the board are: • Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta – Investment Banker and CEO of Databank (Chairman) • Mrs. Joyce Aryee – CEO of Chamber of Commerce • Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia – Economist – Deputy Governor of BoG • Ms. Elizabeth Akua Ohene – Minister of State of MoESS • Mrs. Agatha Gaisie-Nketsiah – SA to Minister & Director ICT of MoFEP • Samuel Kenneth Aboah – CEO of IT Company • Mr. James Oppng- Afrani – Director, F&A of MoESS • Ms. Dorothy Gordon – CEO of KACE_AITI • Mr. Stephen Adu – Director, Basic Education of MoESS

21. “core teams includes both ICT and educationist” • Core team are drawn from different related expertise: • Maxwell Akornor: Maintenance and Support, MoESS • Kwesi Smith: Software Instructor, KACE-AITI • Samuel Adjei: Network Administrator-MoESS • Hilda Kyeremanteng: Technical Support, MoESS • Kojo Gyan Achemapong: IT Instructor- SHS • Mercy Kpo: Technical Support – MoFEP • Hannef Siita: Systems Support – MoFEP • Samuel Ampofo: Network Adminsitrator • Opoku Afiriyie Asante: IT Teacher, MoESS • Terry Ashiaquaye: Systems Support, BWL

22. “Given its success, it is imperative that we extend this project to all primary school children” • Policy of Foundation: • Free Laptops to all Public School Children - 2,911,000 • Private School Children purchase with a mark-up price for management– approx 700,000 pupils • Strategy • start with Classes 1 – 4 children – class 5-6 children play mentoring and supervisory role for their siblings and junior school mates • All class 1 – 6 children within 5 years of deployment • Selection of Regions and sites based on GES basic school results • Mandate of H.E. President for Foundation to source funds to deploy 1m laptops by end 2009 “All school children between the ages of 6 and 12 in public schools will soon be provided with laptops - Baah-Wiredu’s Computer per a child.” – H.E. J.A. Kufuor

23. “Current roll-out plan” Ashanti Region: Minister of Finance hometown – 2,878 pupils and Pilot Site (Bonsaaso) - 500 (dec-jan) Central Region (26 schools in 9 locations) – 4,930 pupils (mar-apr) Phase I Cover all Class 1-4 pupils 10,200 laptops selected schools in CR, ER, ASHR, GAR Eastern Region (17 schools in 2 towns) – 2,494 (feb-mar) Greater-Accra Region Pilot Site (Kanda) – 450 pupils (jan)

24. “current roll-out” • Visited the schools • Categorized them into: • Schools with Electricity in classrooms (1) • Schools with electricity in school but not in classrooms • Schools with electricity in village but not in schools • Schools without electricity in village (none)

25. “laptops can be affordable and olpc can help make the vision a reality in Ghana” • It will cost $750m to cover class 1-6 pupils in Ghana within 3-5years • Gov’t has committed $3m for 2008 • We need $250m to make year 2009 a reality! • Gov’t commitment for 2009 will be made in Jan 3,000,000 laptops Unit Cost $250 Laptop: $205 Mgmt $20 Support $25 $ 750 million

26. strategy for fund-raising? We believe that an indelible memory of an indefatigable Finance Minister who served with humility and was beloved by all will help the Foundation raise funds

27. strategy for fund-raising? 1 - Each one give one, or two, or more… • Pledge funds for a laptop for your (or parents/grand parents) old primary school • Ask the PTA’s at your child’s school to adopt a public school, and mobilize funds to support one classroom • Organize a fundraising at offices to support a classroom of choice • Encourage all to tell everyone they know to do the same

28. strategy for fund-raising? 2 – organisations as social responsibility… • Organize fund raising programme for some top organizations in Ghana supported by patron

29. strategy for fund-raising? 3 – on-going dialogue with development partners… • Initiated dialogue with • Japanese Embassy • UNDP • AfDB • Organiseprogramme for all development partners

30. strategy for fund-raising? 4 – loans from financial institutions… • Obtain loans from financial institutions and leverage with ear-marked funds from funds like Communication Tax, national Lotteries etc.

31. strategy for fund-raising? 5 – appeal to ghanaians in the diaspora… • Use our embassies and internet to appeal to Ghanaians in the Diaspora.

32. strategy for fund-raising? 6 – Leverage from olpc… • Believe that olpc will support us in fund-raising and also leverage whatever Ghana procures.

33. ““building a modern society, starting with the children” • A better educated population, fully functional in the digital age • More home grown industries generating wealth that stays in-country • An economy less dependent on foreign aid • A more just and fair society, with more equitable distribution of wealth & resources • We thank olpc for support so far and hope they will continue