The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation has kick-started an initiative to train 5000 girls from five regions in Information Communication and Technology (ICT).
The regions are Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, Savannah and Northern Region.
The first batch of 1000 girls from various districts in the Bono East Region have already started the training in basic ICT skills and coding.
“We have a very ambitious goal and there is so much work to be done in giving our young girls the right skills. For this reason, I am working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure that we mainstream practical ICT education in the curriculum of all schools”, Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful stated.
A statement from the Ministry, signed by its Head of Public Relations, Naa Korkoi Essah, said the training in coding will give the girls the opportunity to explore the world of technology, through the creation of websites, computer games, interactive arts, mobile apps, and animation stories, using various programming languages.
Training
It said the training also forms part of strategies to both ensure that Ghana achieves the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, and Ghana’s ICT4AD Policy on bridging the gender gap.
After their training, the girls will participate in a competition which also introduces them to scratch and basic structures of programming.
This competition, the statement said, will test the knowledge and ICT skills acquired during the training period, including website design, development of games, coding and simple ICT applications.
Girls in ICT
The Girls in ICT programme was introduced in 2012 by the International Telecommunications Union to empower and encourage girls and young women to acquire digital skills and consider studies and careers in the growing field of information and communication technologies.
Ghana has adopted this initiative and observed it on a regional basis. It has already been celebrated in Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Volta, Western, Western North, North East, Central and Oti regions.
The programme involves the Training of Trainers who in turn train the girls.
Besides, there is a Mentorship session that provides a platform for women working in the ICT field, to share their personal life stories and professional experiences, with the young girls to guide them in their future career paths.
Prizes such as laptops and modems are given to girls who excel in the competition and, ICT labs are also established in schools where the girls excel.
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