200 Female students trained in ICT "They are from 48 basic schools in Birim Central"
Some 200 female students from 48 basic schools in the Birim Central Municipality in the Eastern Region have been trained in information and communications technology (ICT).
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The programme, code-named, “Coding Caravan Project”, was sponsored by the Ministry of Communications and Digitisation to expedite Ghana's digitisation programme.
It was aimed at encouraging and empowering school girls to consider studies and careers in the growing field of ICT.
The initiative was to mark this year's International Day of Girls in ICT, which was celebrated by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, in partnership with the Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana and the Birim Central Education Directorate at Akim Oda, capital of the Birim Central Municipal Assembly, last Friday.
The students were from schools in the Oda Wesley Methodist Junior High School (JHS), the Oda Freeman Methodist JHS, the Gyadam M/A JHS, the Nkwanta M/A Primary, the Nkwanta Methodist JHS, the Aboabo Presbyterian Primary and JHS, the Aboabo Salvation Army JHS, among others.
They were taught how to code from scratch and the use of 3D (three dimension) animation processes to make them abreast of the learning process in ICT in the near future.
ICT careers
Earlier, addressing the gathering, the Deputy Director of Finance in charge of Administration at the Ministry of Communications and Digitisation, Ruth Kyere Ferkah, who represented the sector Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said it was necessary to celebrate this year's International Girls Day in ICT because it would help them to take careers in ICT.
As a member state, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful noted that they agreed that girls in ICT was a programme just to promote girls taking careers also in STEM, since the world today was being driven by technology.
She said in view of the fact that females outnumber males, it was important to train more females in ICT, otherwise the country would be left behind.
In view of that, the minister said this year alone, the ministry was looking for the training of 5,000 girls in primary four to junior high school two.
Girl-child education
The Municipal Education Director, Esther Quaye Sowah, said the municipality was desirous to collaborate with any institution whose goal was to improve the skills of girl-child education, particularly in areas such as science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) of which ICT formed a vital element.
She said the municipality was undertaking a lot of activities in ICT to promote girl's competencies in technology, science and mathematics at the basic level.
STEM careers
"We hosted girls camps and invited role models within the STEM careers such as engineers, doctors, ICT experts and technologists to speak to the girls to help enlighten them more on STEM education and the benefits",
"Through our efforts in mathematics and science quiz competitions, our municipality placed third among 10 districts in the country", Mrs Sowah said.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, said his outfit would collaborate with the Institute of ICT Professionals to embark on awareness programmes to enlighten the students on ICT.
According to him, in the past, one was only required to read and write, which had now changed to the use of ICT to solve problems.
Dr Ashigbey said empowering women in the ICT sector would bridge the gap between males and females and empower more people to come out with solutions to solve challenges.
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