1. Summary
This unique project is an opportunity for community education developers to invest in human capital for the development of Ghana. The project will provide computers, skill, digitized content and new learning opportunities to deliver education across communities of developer’s choice.

It is emphasized by the Ghana ICT Education policy, that government’s desire is, through the deployment of information and communication technology (ICT) in education, the culture and practice of traditional memory- based learning will be transformed into education that stimulates thinking and creativity necessary to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

While ICT has become an externally examinable subject at the Junior High School levels in Ghana, few schools have computers and the required knowledge skills and support to use them and be a part of the required national education system. The project will provide a 25 (PC) computer lab in each case, from funding of GHC 14288.75. The donated funds will cover cost of shipping and handling of refurbished PCs from London in the UK, train 25 role players of the school, provide a one year support, and assist in the productive use of computers in the school and its community. This is a tailor-made opportunity for Tullow Ghana Limited to support one or a number of school computer labs of choice.

Computers for Education and Development (CFED) will engage in a not-for profit social business at the core of its registered non governmental organization to deploy and sustain the computer lab provided. The project will engage a value chain process of providing and integrating ICT into education, by sensitizing school line, staff and parents on using ICT in teaching and learning and address school administrative chores. Computers and related infrastructure provision will compliment capacity building and content development. Subject integration and research for innovation will complete the process in the medium to long term. All schools; (Primary, Junior, Senior High and Tertiary) are beneficiaries of the CFED projects.

Project sustainability is guaranteed by virtue of a full one year parts and labour warranty and the provision of ICT training and professional technical support and maintenance by CFED.

Most importantly, sustainability is literally guaranteed by virtue of a full one year parts and labour warranty and the provision of ICT training and professional technical support and maintenance by CFED.

The National ICT Education policy calls on all stake holders that; given the magnitude of the task ahead, government enjoins both the public and private sector to join hands to ensure that our children receive high quality teaching and learning support in the information age.

This proposal aims to meet most, if not all of requirements of the seven thematic areas, outlined in the National ICT Education policy. These include:
1. Education Management – Ministry/Agencies and Educational Institutions
2. Capacity Building
3. Infrastructure, E-readiness and Equitable Access
4. Incorporating ICTs into the Curriculum
5. Content Development
6. Technical Support, Maintenance and Sustainability
7. Monitoring and Evaluation

2. Project Outline
Computers for Education and Development (CFED), G. 23 039, has been established as a Ghanaian NGO to compliment national efforts at providing the Ghanaian child with ICT opportunities to be a global competitive participant (See organizational profile for details).

Computer Aid International and Close the Gap are UK and Belgian based NGOs that work with CFED to supply quality refurbished Pentium 4 computers. CFED would identify schools with the capacity to make immediate productive and sustainable use of computers in their community working from amongst its members and other community groups. The ICTs will go to schools that are best able to maximize their use to increase the efficiency and efficacy of education. Schools will be required to provide a room for computers, tables/desks and security and it is becoming a condition that air conditioning or good ventilation is provided.

Importantly, CFED in collaboration with training institutions such as Accra institute of Technology (AIT) and other Schools of Education and Technology will provide ICT training courses, technical support and a maintenance service differently from computer provision.

Donated funds from developers will support CFED to provide 25 high quality P4 TFT computers to identified schools that have the capacity to provide an environment to use the computers. Such an environment will entail a dedicated room large enough to host 25 PCs and an area for a server and lab administration. There will also be the need for the room to be secured with burglar iron bars at the window and the door, as well provide furniture for the 25 computers, some air conditioning and an administrator’s office use has become important from our roll out at Asasetre in the Western Region.

3. The Problem
Ghana remains a least developed country in the world. Though it had attained middle income status, the United Nations Human Development Index (combining income, life expectancy, adult literacy and school enrolment) ranks Ghana 142nd out of 174 countries.

For Ghana, like other developing countries, poverty clearly remains a major issue and its eradication in all its manifestations is a priority for Industry and corporate, civil society, government and the international community.

One dimension of poverty is poor infrastructure, including lack of access to timely ICT and the related technology. Access to information is a basic human right and the effective utilization of computers is one of the means to access information, enhance education and skills, fight poverty and develop into a knowledge economy.

It is an undeniable fact that the world has evolved into an era where development is driven by technology, fuelled by information and powered by knowledge. Government has therefore initiated schools ICT programmes including teaching of ICTs, currently examinable externally at the basic level.

However, a new computer in most developing countries including Ghana can cost between £350 and £500. Few community groups can afford this level of expenditure. CFED and Computer Aid International would provide a solution to these prohibitive costs for non resourced schools to access ICTs. We bridge the digital divide by providing ICTs to institutions which are not able to afford brand new PCs.

This project aims to develop a model of sustainability that will have maximum impact on the ground whilst delivering financial self-reliance and reducing donor dependency. District and rural community governments can tap into this community to provide ICT capacity to their fledging institutions, communication and learning centres. The Computer lab will also provide infrastructure to be able to engage in e-governance, administrative document exchange, e-learning centres and, engage in e-health programmes with established specialist in health institutions in the urban centres and cities.

4. Civil Society & ICT in Ghana
The mission of CFED is to compliment government’s efforts at providing the Ghanaian child with an opportunity to be a global competitive participant. CFED’s objectives are, to:

Provide computers to educational institutions and development organizations in Ghana,
Facilitate other related technical infrastructure provision for productive use of the computer
Provide training and capacity support to users in schools
Provide software and content support
Facilitate Internet connectivity, e-learning, monitoring and evaluation services; and
Provide research in ICT for Education development support

5. Solution and Impact
In a world where development is driven by technology fuelled by information and powered by knowledge, ICT has not only become the main driver of education but a means and motivation for lifelong learning. Development organizations also see information and knowledge sharing using ICT between themselves, government, the private sector, bilateral and multilateral aid agencies as key to tackling poverty.

Computer Aid’s experience shows that the presence of efficient and effective local organisations has a multitude of benefits for the targets in particular and the locality in general. Expansion and support of CFED activities allows development of a model of self-sustainability through the introduction of income generation schemes. A strong, financially healthy NGO such as CFED can provide efficient and diverse services to ICT beneficiaries.

6. Project description
Computer Aid International or Close-The-Gap would supply a full container of 300 fully refurbished Pentium 4 PCs to CFED which can cover 12 schools of 25 computers each. The cost of getting these systems to the freight terminal at Tema excluding clearing of a 20ft container of 300 computers is estimated at £21,275.00. Developers have a choice to team up and share cost.

This process explains that Developers could pay for shipping and handling charges upfront to Computer Aid share cost and pay for its deployment. CFED will cover only training and support to schools’ computer labs charging 15% to cover costs. If CFED pre-finances cost of shipping computers, project funders will bear costs for all aspects to bring in the computers.

CFED will inspect schools with environments to make sustainable and productive use of the resources as in Section 2 (Project outline above). Our technical support capacity will guarantee the sustainable and productive use of the PCs by beneficiary schools. The technicians would provide maintenance and support services as well as one year warranty. In order to cover our service costs and cost of computers, CFED would provide computers at a unit cost £150 GBP if it has to provide the computers by itself.

The total cost of one computer lab of 25 TFT (Flat Screen) Pentium 4 computers will be (25 x £150) = £ 3750.00. Or GHC (3750 x 2.3) = GHC 8625.00
. CFED hence will do the following:

Supply the most cost efficient Pentium 4 refurbished PCs available. Minimum specifications will be as follows:

100% Pentium 4 or equivalent PCs with:
a minimum of 1 Gb RAM
between 2.4Ghz – 3.0 Ghz+ processors (AMD – XP+ processor, Celeron – 1.5Ghz+ processor)
between 100 Gb and 350 Gb+ hard disks
100% of P4s have CD-ROM or DVD Drives
100% of machines have CD/DVD ROM drive and usb port
We also provide Licensed Windows XP (£10 per PC loaded)

Each machine is a full system - boxed and securely packaged complete with its own colour monitor, keyboard, mouse and cables. Power plugs are UK standard (three square pins)
provide timely and effective technical support and trouble-shooting services provide other computer services at low cost (web site development, networking , etc..) provide training for the productive use of computers
Training is critical to the optimal use of computers. CFED has developed a mandatory training schedule (See CFED curriculum). Cost of training is = GH3800.00.
Total Cost to a computer lab is (GHC 8625.00+3800.00 GHC +1863.75) is =GHC 14288.75


CFED This process explains that Developers could pay for shipping and handling charges upfront to Computer Aid share cost and pay for its deployment. CFED will cover only training and support to schools’ computer labs charging 15% to cover costs. If CFED pre-finances cost of shipping computers, project funders will bear costs for all aspects to bring in the computers

7. Participating Organisations

Accra Institute of Technology – (AIT) Is an Accra based Open University. It engages cutting edge Information Technology, engineering, business and education programmes at all levels utilizing nascent pedagogy and tools to develop human capital to develop Ghanahttp://main.ait.edu.gh

Computer Aid International a UK based international NGO committed to the distribution of quality refurbished computers to community groups and schools in developing countries. www.computeraid.org

European Schoolnet - Is a network of 31 Ministries of Education in Europe and beyond. EUN was created with the aim to bring about innovation in teaching and learning to its stakeholders: Ministries of Education, schools, teachers and researchers. CFED has signed a memorandum of understanding with EUN to engage in a variety of online collaborative projects; including e_Twining; Eminent, etc... www.eun.org

Ministry of Education - Ghana. The Ministry of Education is the principal stakeholder in education in Ghana. It has been in the forefront of CFED undertakings and supported us when the need arises.

Computers for Education and Development (CFED) - a national organisation engaged in distributing high quality refurbished computers to educational Institutions and not for profit organisations in Ghana.

Close the Gap is a Belgian Non Governmental Organization set up to bridge the Digital Divide.
www.close-the-gap.org

8. Project Aims and Objectives
With the realisation of this project the partnership will achieve the following objectives:

Establish a social business process that provides continuous supply of computer
infrastructure to educational institutions in Ghana.

Contribute to the development of ICT knowledge, skill and human capacity and reducing the gap between Ghanaian educational institutions and that of the global community, and ICT utilization

Establish a self-sustaining social business supporting educational institutions in their use of ICT.

9. Monitoring and Evaluation
The PCs to be acquired through this project will only be distributed to educational institutions legally registered by the government. Schools should be able to contribute computer desks/Tables and security.

Upon delivery, CFED would ensure that the computers are entered to the fixed assets registry of each recipient school. CFED and Computer Aid International will conduct an evaluation of the project after the delivery of the first consignment. The evaluation will assess the outputs and effects, and develop recommendations for the future of the project. Lessons learned from this pilot project will also impact on its replication by other national NGOs. Environmental disposal will be monitored at end of life of all PCs provided by CFED.

10. Risks and assumptions
This project is designed with the assumption that the market price of PCs in Ghana will not fall anywhere near the prices of the CFED’s refurbished computers
Because this project involves bulk importation, possible effect on the local market has been noted and is not thought to be significant. This project wonders if a school or not for profit beneficiary will be in a position to secure printers and other accessories as needed on its own (or with joint procurement support from CFED).
Delivery of ICT in education is not frustrated by uncertainty and bureaucratic bottlenecks

11. Schools ICT Project Budget

Notes to the budget:

Cost of 25 pentium 4 flat screen computers at a lab is (£3250 GBP x 2.3) = GHC 8625.00. Cost of training 25 users is GH3800.00+ (15% CFED admin cost of 1863.75). Total Cost to a computer lab is (GHC 8625+3800 +GHC 1863.75) = GHC 14288.75 is = GHC 14288.75

12. Conclusion:
This proposal is presented to companies and individuals who want to use their corporate social investment(CSI) funds to develop human capital which will hasten the development destiny of Ghana.
The goal of this project is to supplement government’s efforts in providing the Ghanaian learner with an ICT skill, knowledge and opportunity for self development
The project draws encouragement from the National ICT Education Policy which concedes that; it is unlikely that Government alone can finance acquisitions solely from its resources; hence other sources should be explored
Computers for Education and Development (CFED) and its partners (acknowledged in the National Education policy) The European Schoolnet, Close the Gap, the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), believe without doubt that, the CFED model is an ideal choice, and, we are poised to deliver on our mission.
Signed Signed
Dr. Hillar Addo
(Executive Director CFED) Community Education Developer.