STUDENTS at Sir Charles Kao UTC have completed work on a project for Department for Education, helping students in Ghana.

The students were commissioned by the Department for Education to work on the project where they produced an app to operate a receipt printer. The app, which repurposes old technology, is for use in classrooms in Ghana and prints off randomised text that enables young students to practice their English.

Sir Charles Kao UTC, a brand-new education provider for students aged 14-19 in Harlow, specialises in Smart Environments and Medical Technology. Students study a variety of subjects including Computer Science, Engineering and Product Design.

It is expected that this project will expand beyond Ghana, helping thousands of students from throughout the developing world. This will provide a fantastic new opportunity for students who will be, using new technology to enable their learning, where they may not have otherwise had the opportunity.

Ashley Isbitt, a year 12 student at Sir Charles Kao UTC, acted as group leader of the project, leading a group of Year 10 and 12 Students. He said:

“This project was a fun, new experience for all involved, and would greatly help other students develop their programming knowledge in a practical way, as well as life skills such as teamwork”

Principal Michael McKeaveney said:

“I am incredibly proud of the talent and skills of our students, who successfully managed and completed this project. Projects like this enable our talented students to use their abilities for the greater good. I am full of pride with the effect on learning their app will have in other parts of the world”