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The Government through the E-transfer Project (ETP) would connect free internet Wireless Network Services (WNS) to selected Senior High Schools (SHSs) across the country.

The project, funded by the World Bank, would include digital content for schools with Wide Area Network (WAN) and Local Area Network (LAN) for schools laboratories, payment of bandwidth costs, maintenance costs and supply of quantities of computers to schools to bridge the digital divide.

Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister for Communications disclosed this at the 58th Speech and Prize Giving Day of Mfantsiman Girls SHS at the weekend.

The celebration was on the theme: "Free SHS: The role of the parents and other stakeholders."

The initiative, according to her forms part of the President's strategic vision to enhance education with seamless internet accessibility to all students.

It would among other things afford students and teachers the opportunity to conduct intensive academic research, access digital libraries, learn beyond classroom, download academic infographics, increased engagement and access to unlimited online books to aid teaching and learning.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful indicated that education and skills training were the catalyst to empower and provide equal opportunities to bridge the poverty gap to accelerate rapid national development.

She urged the students to take full advantage of the revolution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to bridge the information gap in academia.

"To succeed in this new information based era and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related courses" she said.

She reiterated the ministry's commitment to promote and create awareness for young girls to take particular interest in STEM through the 'Girls in ICT programme' to train young girls in ICT skill.

That notwithstanding, she cautioned parents and school authorities against the threats of technology such as cyber fraud and urged them to guide their children to seek for contents that would build their initiative abilities.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful appealed to parents to be role models to their children because they were the first agents of change and as such, must make positive impact in their children's development.

According to her, being consistent in instilling parental values such as time management, respect, decent behaviour and dressing and love for work among others would keep the child focused in attaining good morals and higher status in future.

On her part, Mrs Agnes Leticia Hawkson, the Headmistress of the school, lauded the immense contribution of the old students towards the development of the school.

She expressed worry about the numerous uncompleted and abandoned infrastructural facilities including an 18-unit classroom block that had been deserted for 10 years and a two story uncompleted 250 capacity dormitory block.
The Headmistress appealed for a school bus, a 24-seater capacity toilet,a school field and teachers bungalow.
She added that out of the 106 teaching staff, only 46 were housed in the school and that made supervision and learning difficult.