Christiana Awenli Awea, a Form 2, 14 year old student of St. Paul’s R/C JHS in Tamale Metro emerged the winner with a 100percent score in a Girls-in-Information and Communication Technology (ICT) initiative which came off recently.
Amanda Daal from Kpandai Girls model JHS won the second position with 99 percent while Husinatu Nasara Mohammed took the third position. They were all presented with plaques, certificates, laptop, with an ICT lab for their schools as well GH¢3,000, GH¢2,500 and GH¢2,000 respectively. Also, they would serve as ICT ambassadors for the Northern Region as well as benefit from further training in Accra.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, commenced with trainer of trainers workshop in Tamale before training of teachers in areas such as Fundamentals in ICT, Scratch Programming (Coding), Cyber Security, Gaming, Website Development and Project Presentation to enable the teachers also continue the work of assisting and encouraging the girls to pursue ICT careers in later life.
The programme, which began in 2017 to serve as a platform to equip girls between the ages of 9 and 15 years (Upper Primary to Junior High School), with knowledge and skills in basic ICT and Coding was supported by the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) as the technical resource provider, with training by Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence (KACE).
Other sponsors were MTN Ghana, National Communications Authority (NCA), American Towers Company (ATC), Ministry of Education, GIZ and others.
The Ministry in collaboration with other agencies on July 17, commenced the training of 1,000 girls in the Northern Region in basic Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills of which the girls were selected from 16 Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The MMDAs were, Mion, Karaga, Tolon, Kumbungu, Savelugu, Tamale, Nanton, Sagnarigu, Kpandai, Gushegu, Tatali, Nanumba South, Nanumba North, Yendi, Saboba and Zabzugu. The beneficiaries were taking through coding, cyber security, website development among others.
There was also mentorship session whereby women currently working in the ICT Field shared their personal and professional experiences with the Girls-in-ICT, to encourage and guide them in their future careers and endeavours.
Speaking at the climax of the event in Tamale, Minister for Communication, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful commended teachers and parents for their commitment towards training of the young girls in ICT for national development. “I am very much satisfied with the training because the few days and during my tour observed that the girls had acquired some basic skills in ICT and were ready to learn more,” she said
In an effort to whip the interest of girls-in-ICT, government in collaboration with the Ministry has developed some programmes such Girls-in-ICT programme, ICT laboratories for Senior High Schools, e-Transform and Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion projects to ensure that all girls irrespective of the region benefit from the programme.
According to the Minister, government was committed enhancing the use of technology among young girls and women to bridge the gender gap in the country. She urged the beneficiaries to serve as ambassadors of ICT in the respective communities to achive the set goals of establishing the programmes. She also encouraged the young girls and women to take advantage of the programme to develop on their future career.
Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Prof Seidu Al-hassan said research indicated that 23 percent of the young girls do not have ICT background and therefore commended government for the digitization initiative to enable the youth catch up with the global trend. “My dear girls, you were girls in ICT but from henceforth you would become girls with ICT and so kindly improve on your ICT studies to enhance your academic and future career” he said.
Northern Regional Minister Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu said effort would be made to sustain the training despite its end in the region to ensure all girls become conversant with ICT.
