Wireless Ghana: A Case Study

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22 has been the effort of the local government, through agencies like Ghana Educational Services, to get children enrolled in Primary schools. But what this statistic does not show us is the practice of reading and writing skills on a daily basis. It may be true that a majority of Ghanaians can demonstrate a form of literacy (write a short paragraph about their daily activities), but this majority is not using these skills with regularity. People do not have books; very few people read the very few newspapers; access to libraries, computers, and the Internet, humanity’s pool of information, are limited to non-existent in rural areas. In short, reading has not been adapted into the culture, nor has it had a chance to be. There is theoretical literacy, but a practical illiteracy. Two driving factors of practical illiteracy are a lack of access to affordable communication and a lack of access to information. In Ghana both of these factors exist. Figure 6.0.2 and 6.0.3 compare two indicators of economy that are directly related to illiteracy: access to telephone lines and access to the Internet, within Ghana and its neighboring West African countries with that of the United States. Figure 6.0.2 Main Telephone Lines per 100 Inhabitants, Ghana vs. U.S. Source: UN Common Database (UNESCO estimates)
23 Figure 6.0.3 Internet Users per 1000 Inhabitants, Ghana (and neighboring West African countries) vs. U.S. Source: UN Common Database (UNESCO estimates) (a) – data from 2002 The solution to a problem of illiteracy is to promote a reading culture. CBLit’s Wireless Ghana project is working, to promote literacy and a reading culture. Key factors that make literacy programs thrive include 6 : • Large amount of literature available to the learner in the language of instruction. • Learner’s perceived immediate economic gain from becoming literate. • Small project with a dedicated staff. • Learners perceive that the program is responsive to their expressed needs. 6 Peace Corps, Peace Corps Literacy Handbook (Washington DC: Peace Corps – Information Collection and Exchange, M0021, 1984), 13.
Page 2 and 3: 2 What follows is an in-depth case
Page 4 and 5: 4 1. Introduction 1.1 General Detai
Page 6 and 7: 6 like the center will serve the su
Page 8 and 9: 8 2. Public Private Partnership Mod
Page 10 and 11: 10 Ministers and Member of Parliame
Page 12 and 13: 12 3. Project Financing Approach Th
Page 14 and 15: 14 4. Project Technology 4.1 Templa
Page 16 and 17: 16 4.2 Technical Problems The main
Page 18 and 19: 18 5.2 Social Benefits The social t
Page 20 and 21: 20 TABLE 5.4.1 Tactics for Inclusio
Page 24 and 25: The Wireless Ghana project meets th
Page 26 and 27: 26 workforce, and infrastructure im
Page 28 and 29: 28 8. Lessons Learned The lessons b
Page 30 and 31: 30 infrastructure could use an upgr
Page 32 and 33: 32 Appendix A - Equipment Proposal
Page 34 and 35: 34 Appendix C - Phase II Budget PHA

Wireless Ghana: A Case Study

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