A social media user claims that one of the laptops given to teachers in Ghana caught fire
Claim:
A ‘teachers’ laptop” exploded after a teacher tried installing windows 10, according to a social media user.
Verdict:
The Ghana Education Service has not started distributing the “teachers laptops.”
Full Text
A social media user claims that one of the laptops given to teachers in Ghana caught fire after a teacher tried installing windows 10. Attached to the post is an image of a burnt laptop. The claim which has since gone viral has raised some concerns.
Some concerned Facebook users took to their walls to advise persons to stay away from misleading reports.
“When evil is at work. How can some people propagate deep lies like that? Please disregard this post in case you see it.
The laptops for teachers have not been shared yet and so which laptop did the so-called teacher try to install Windows 10 huh? Oh daabi da! The laptops to be shared soon are of good quality. Be assured Teachers!,” one of the reactions to the post reads.
About the ‘teachers laptops’
On 23rd September 2020, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) appealed to the government at a Stakeholders Forum to provide each teacher with a laptop and modem to ensure innovative means of teaching and to enhance virtual learning during this COVID period.
In February this year, the government of Ghana through the Ghana Education Service announced plans to secure laptops for all teachers in the country after consulting with teacher unions. The project is dubbed ‘One teacher One Laptop (1T1L).
In a letter signed by the Deputy Director-General of Ghana Education Service, Mr Anthony Boateng, on July 28, 2021, the service announced the distribution of the laptops to begin with teachers in Senior High Schools (SHS).
This announcement was met with mixed reactions. While some welcomed the initiative, others questioned the basis for the distribution and procurement.
Verification
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service(GES), Ms Cassandra Ampofo Twum, the laptops have not been distributed yet.
Further, using Tineye image search, it was revealed that the image has featured on over four different websites to represent tech failure articles.
Some of these websites trace their source to bored panda, a Lithuanian website that publishes articles about lightweight and inoffensive topics.
Daily mail UK sourcing the image to Bored panda stated,
“………collated in a Bored Panda picture gallery, including a computer mouse overrun by ants after the owner surprisingly cleaned it with lemonade, and a laptop that had been completely burnt.”
The user has since clarified not apologized for posting such information, adding that it was for sarcastic purposes with no malice attached.
A screenshot of an article which he claims informed his decision to post the burnt laptop was also attached to the clarification post.
Conclusion
With the facts available to Dubawa, we conclude that the burnt laptop and information attached is false and misleading.