By Jeremiah Nutsugah
Builsa South Member of Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak, has stated that the “one tablet per student” policy aims to persuade students to support the New Patriotic Party when they reach voting age.
During the launch of the Ghana Smart Schools Project in Accra on March 25th, 2024, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo disclosed plans to distribute Smart Tablets to 1.3 million Senior High School students nationwide.
In an interview on TV3’s “Hot Issues” on May 13th, 2024, Dr. Apaak expressed no issue with the principle behind the initiative but criticized its timing during an election year, especially considering the various challenges faced by the students who will benefit from the program.
“During the COVID pandemic, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) outlined in their 2020 manifesto plans to provide free tablets with educational content to students and teachers.”
Dr. Apaak noted that the NPP also made similar promises in their 2020 manifesto, including discussions towards providing free tablets for Junior High School and Senior High School students.
He questioned why the government is only now attempting to fulfill a campaign promise made back in 2020.