The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has expressed significant concern regarding the misuse of government-issued tablets by some Senior High School (SHS) students. Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the Minister disclosed that while 1.3 million tablets were procured for students, approximately 980,000 have already been distributed. A critical issue identified is that many of these devices lack proper security measures, allowing students to deviate from their intended academic use.

Minister Iddrisu informed the house, "My attention this morning, Mr. Speaker, was drawn to the fact that many of the devices are not customized and the students are using them for other purposes, including pornography, which is not acceptable." He highlighted that these tablets are an integral component of the government's Free SHS policy, designed to equip students with essential digital learning tools. The devices come with a pre-loaded curriculum, specifically aimed at facilitating a modern educational experience.

In response to this alarming development, the Minister affirmed that the government views the situation with utmost seriousness and will promptly enforce stricter restrictions on the tablets. He reiterated that the devices are strictly designated for academic purposes. Haruna Iddrisu also mentioned that he inherited a contract valued at approximately $337 million for the comprehensive procurement and distribution of the 1.3 million tablets, confirming that the nationwide distribution efforts are still in progress.

Emphasizing the broader vision, Minister Iddrisu stated, "We have to take investment in digital skills and digital technology and its deployment much more seriously." He further elaborated that the overarching objective of this initiative is to train students, enabling them to become "globally competitive" in an increasingly digital world.