CAMFED Ghana has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Distance Learning and Open Schooling (CENDLOS) to promote ICT and STEM education, particularly for girls.
CAMFED is an international non-profit organization that works to eradicate poverty and inequalities through girls’ education and young women empowerment.
In Ghana, CAMFED works in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Bono East, Bono, Western, Eastern, Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central regions.
CENDLOS on the other hand is a specialized agency under the Ministry of Education responsible for, among others, advising on, supporting and coordinating open distance e-learning activities in partnership with the public and private sectors.
Under the five-year partnership, the two organizations will collaborate to promote the study of STEM and ICT courses by girls and share relevant experience, expertise, data relevant for the project, and best practice to guide interventions. The two organizations will also collaborate to promote child protection and safeguarding practices in the STEM and ICT sectors while undertaking joint monitoring of project activities being undertaken.
In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Executive Director of CENDLOS, Nana Gyamfi Adwabour, indicated that as an organization, CENDLOS stands prepared to partner and work with organizations in the public and private sectors to promote education using ICTs.
He added that going forward, CENDLOS will be working to provide content for those pursuing TVET courses to enable them access education from remote locations. Nana Adwabour expressed satisfaction with the partnership with CAMFED adding it will go a long way to expand access to education for all. He praised CAMFED for its work to promote girls’ education and women’s empowerment.
In her response, Programmes Director of CAMFED Ghana, Ms. Muni Issifu, noted the great work CENDLOS was undertaking to expand access to education using distance learning and open schooling. She added that the partnership with CENDLOS will contribute significantly to the work of CAMFED, particularly the ongoing 60 Million Girls Mobile Learning Lab Project.
Ms. Issifu added that the 60 Million Girls Mobile Learning Labs Project titled “Use of STEM and ICT Focused Mobile Learning Labs to Mitigate the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on High School Girls in Ghana” aims to enhance the quality of STEM and ICT education while developing level-appropriate skills in these areas.
It is also designed to increase student engagement and attendance in class and will be implemented in girls-only public schools and will reach 2,500 to 3,000 female students during the implementation period.
ISD