The Prince of Wales (POW) Secondary School, Sierra Leone, is preparing to take its first ride on the Information Highway. The POW Alumni Association (POWAA) is sponsoring a project to open a $70,000 computer school, supplying them with computers, laptops, and high-speed satellite Wi-Fi Internet access. Get this; the sun will do the honor of supplying the energy source.
The solar power set-up will include about 30 photovoltaic (PV) panels, three charge controllers, batteries, inverters, meters, and breakers together producing between 5 and 6 kilowatts (KW) of clean energy. Ironically, this particular school is less than 0.33 miles from the Kingtom Power Station, the major electricity supplier to the city, but has no power at all.
Unfortunately, there have been a few minor bumps on the Highway, namely a delay in receiving the solar equipment procured from Africa Energy in the US. POW Secondary School Principle, Millicent Ogoo, stated that the lack of adequate computers would soon be rectified as 20 laptops from various donor organizations would be arriving. Commissioning of the project is expected in June.
Lets face it, just about everything in modern society is ran by computer. In order for under-developed third world countries to compete within the international job market, they need to start training the leaders of tomorrow about today’s Information Technology. It seems as though the POW school is ready to gas up its tank and hit the Information Highway, full speed.
