One Monday morning in Accra, a teacher stood in front of her class with a projector she didn’t know how to use.
The school had just received a donation of digital learning tools—laptops, tablets, and internet routers. It should’ve been a moment of excitement. But instead, it was one of quiet frustration.
Why?
Because technology alone doesn’t transform education—people do. And until we invest in preparing our teachers, we’ll keep giving them tools they can’t use effectively.
The truth is, while the conversation around Edtech is booming across Ghana and the continent, there’s a crucial question we must ask: Are our teachers ready for the digital shift?
The reality on the ground
Let’s start with the data. According to a 2023 World Bank education report, only 25percent of teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa feel confident using digital tools in their classrooms.
In Ghana, a 2022 study by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) found that while over 60percent of schools in urban areas had some form of ICT access, only 18percent of teachers had received formal training on integrating technology into lessons.
In rural areas, the numbers are even lower. Yet, year after year, we continue to place digital tools into schools—smart boards, learning tablets, online platforms—without ensuring the teachers using them are trained, supported, and empowered.
It’s like giving someone a car without teaching them how to drive—or worse, without giving them the keys.
Teachers – The heartbeat of education
Let’s never forget this: teachers are the single most important factor in a child’s learning experience. Before apps, before devices, before Wi-Fi, there is the teacher—guiding, inspiring, correcting, and caring.
Technology can’t replace that. But it can enhance it. Imagine a science teacher in Cape Coast using simulations to explain chemical reactions. Or a maths teacher in Tamale helping students grasp algebra through gamified learning apps.
Or a history teacher in Koforidua taking their class on a virtual tour of Kwame Nkrumah’s mausoleum. The possibilities are powerful. But only when the teacher knows how to use the tools—and believes in their value.
What we’re getting right
To be fair, Ghana is making progress:
- The National Teaching Council (NTC) has introduced digital literacy training into the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) framework.
- GES and the Ministry of Education, in partnership with groups like Ghana Library Authority and Worldreader, are pushing digital reading programmes in schools.
- NGOs like World Vision Ghana and Right to Play are equipping rural teachers with basic ICT skills.
These efforts are commendable. But they are not enough. We must move from project-based training to system-wide transformation.
Lessons from across the continent
Take Rwanda, for instance. As part of their ICT in Education policy, all teacher training colleges include digital pedagogy modules. Teachers are not just given digital tools—they are taught how to use them to improve learning outcomes.
In South Africa, the government rolled out the “Professional Development Framework for Digital Learning,” offering teachers online courses and incentives to upskill digitally.
Kenya’s Digischool project also prioritizes teacher capacity building, ensuring that for every device distributed, there’s a teacher trained to use it meaningfully.
We can—and must—learn from these examples.
What needs to change in Ghana?
Here are five key steps to get our teachers ready:
1. Reform teacher training institutions – Every College of Education and University offering education degrees should embed digital teaching methods into their curriculum—not as optional courses, but as core modules.
2. Scale practical, hands-on training – Move beyond one-day workshops. Use coaching, peer-learning communities, and practice-based mentorship to make Edtech integration real and lasting.
3. Invest in infrastructure and support – Training means little if the devices don’t work or the internet is patchy. Every teacher should have access to reliable tools, tech support, and learning resources.
4. Recognize and reward digital leadership – Celebrate teachers who innovate with technology. Showcase their stories. Let others learn from them. Give them platforms and incentives to lead the change.
5. Involve teachers in Edtech design – Teachers should not be passive users of Edtech. They must be co-creators—giving feedback, shaping content, and influencing how tools are designed to meet real classroom needs.
Education: Still the greatest nation-builder
In all our efforts to digitize, innovate, and transform, we must never forget the real purpose of education: To shape a generation capable of building a Ghana we can all be proud of. One where young people are competent, compassionate, creative, and courageous.
And that journey begins with the teacher. So yes, let’s buy the laptops. Let’s build the platforms. Let’s bring on the AI tutors. But above all, let’s equip the people who will actually use them in our classrooms.
Because when we prepare our teachers well, we prepare our nation better. Stay with us in this Edtech series as we dive deeper into how Ghana’s growing startup ecosystem is creating local solutions for schools—and what it will take to scale them for nationwide impact.
>>>the writer is President of Ghana Edtech Alliance. He can be reached via [email protected]
