Girls-in-ICT: 11,981 Girls, 1,200 Teachers Trained So Far – Ursula Owusu-Ekuful 2 min read
Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has said that under her leadership since 2012, the ministry has trained a good number of young girls in ICT.
The minister disclosed that since the introduction of the Girls-in-ICT programme in 2012 by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to create a global environment and encourages girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the growing field of ICT, about 11,981 young girls and 1,200 teachers have been trained with digital skills across the country.
Speaking at the climax of this year’s Girls-in-ICT day initiative in the Northern Region, the sector minister indicated that digital technology is indispensable in the world hence encouraging young girls today is her priority.
We have to encourage more girls and women to overcome the stereotype surrounding ICT through this targeted initiatives and narrow the gender divide,” she said.
She said the Akufo-Addo government is pushing the digital Ghana agenda across the country including the people of the Northern Region.
As Ghana is moving from manual to digital economy, digital skills is a key pillar to make it a success.
Speaking on this year’s theme: “Digital Skills for Life”, Owusu-Ekuful said Ghana has to create the right environment to promote the training of more girls in digital skills and equip them to participate in the fast emerging digital economy.
Beneficiary MMDAs in the region includes Mion, Karaga, Tolon, Kumbungu, Savelugu, Tamale Metro, Nanton, Sagnarigu.
The rest are Kpandai, Gushefu, Tatali, Nanumba South, Nanumba North, Yendi, Saboba and Zabzugu districts.
The CEO of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) Prince Ofosu Sefah, noted that GIFEC has persued it’s mandate through three main programmes such as the rural connectivity programme, the Cyber labs programme as well as the ICT capacity programme.
He added that he is proud the agency has seen unprecedented investment over the past few years.
The host minister Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu in his address, emphasised the need to encourage more collaboration between government and the private organisations.
The 14-year-old Christiana Wehle Awiah, pupil 2 of St. Paul’s Catholic School in the Tamale Metropolis, emerged the overall winner of the ICT initiative in the northern region. Christiana received cash prize of GHC3,000.00, a laptop, a plaque and an ICT lab which will be built for her school.
The second and third winners also received some cash prizes and ICT lab each for their schools.
Other 97 girls received laptops and certificates and 100 Teachers also received laptops. The Girls-in-ICT programme is expected to move to the Eastern region of Ghana.
