Donated iPads Arrive in Ghana
Earlier in November, we were delighted to see the latest batch of RGS Worcester donated iPads arrive at the Tongo School in Northern Ghana. Over the last three years, we have now seen over 50 iPads given a new lease of life at our link school in West Africa. Due to the age of the iPads, they were unable to function on our school network but have been repurposed to help teachers and pupils learn about the possibilities afforded by digital technologies.
The iPads are being integrated into the school curriculum and also as part of standalone IT lessons. The devices are being used in both the Junior and Senior School and although WiFi can be intermittent in Tongo, being able to use touchscreen devices, different apps and the iPad camera has already made a real difference to teaching and learning.
Director of Innovation, Mr John Jones, commented: “Outreach initiatives such as these are valuable in so many different ways. Not only are we able to have a direct positive impact in a different part of the world, but we have also provided opportunities to develop understanding and empathy with different cultures. For example, earlier this week the Tongo Junior School connected with RGS The Grange via a video link to share stories, and learn about our different school days whilst discovering so much that we have in common. We hope that in the not-too-distant future, we will be able to consolidate our relationship even further by organising a visit to our friends at both Tongo Senior and Junior School in Ghana itself.”
This link with a school abroad is proving of great interest to the pupils and staff and it is great to see the students there being able to use technology thanks to the work of our IT department to get the iPads to them.