URSULA: Girls-In-ICT Must Be Sustained

 

The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has called for the sustenance of the Girls-In-ICT Initiative - a Ghana government program which encourages and empowers girls and young women to pursue Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education and jobs.

"The impact it (Girls-In-ICT Initiative) has had on the girls’ lives is significant. Some of the early beneficiaries are now in universities, pursuing geodetic engineering and other advanced fields, thanks to the exposure they received from this program. We need to find a way to sustain it", Ursula noted to journalists when she toured the Girls-In-ICT training centers in the Greater Accra Region to interact with the beneficiaries.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful expressed her excitement about the impact of the training so far, saying, "I am glad that so many of you already know about some of the opportunities in ICT".

Encouraging the girls, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so they can develop their own gaming programs, create codes, and more.

Briefing the media, the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation stated that there will be a mentorship session where women currently working in the ICT field share their personal and professional experiences with the girls to encourage and guide them in their future careers and endeavors.

She also added that the climax event of the Girls-In-ICT program in the Greater Accra Region will involve the presentation of awards for the top 100 performing girls, remarks by coaches and mentors, and the presentation of certificates to all participants. As part of the motivation package, prizes such as laptops, modems, and more will be awarded to the girls who excel in the competition, with the top three girls receiving cash prizes. Additionally, ICT labs will be set up in the schools of the girls who performed very well in the competition.

Over one thousand (1,000) girls from thirty-one (31) districts in the Greater

Accra Region were selected to participate in the training program, with the assistance of 100 trained teachers.

Meanwhile, two thousand (2,000) girls from the Ashanti and Volta Regions will also benefit from the program this year.

Training areas include basic ICT skills, coding, website design, social media and internet safety, game development, and animation development.

The ongoing two-day tour, taking place on Tuesday, July 2nd and Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024, focuses on encouraging young girls to pursue careers in ICT and develop an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

It covers modules such as Introduction to Computer, Programming, Cyber Security, Animation Development, Game Development, Coding, Scratch, and Website Design.

The training centers visited included: Ola R/C Basic School, Kotobabi 3&2 Basic School, and St. Joseph Anglican Basic School. The remaining training centers to be toured on Wednesday, July 3rd, are Dansoman CIC Regional Office, Dansoman 6 School, Wesley Grammar School, Weija Model Basic School, and New Gbawe MA School.

In total, the Ministry will train 3,000 girls and 300 teachers across three regions.

The districts in the Greater Accra Region include Ada East, Ada West, La Nkwantang, Ayawaso West, Krowor, Ledzokuku, Tema Metro, Tema West, Ashiaman, Shai Osudoku, Adentan, Prampram, KponeKatamanso, La Dadekotopon, Ayawaso East, KorleyKlottey, Ablekumah West, Ablekumah North, Ablekumah Central, Okaikwei North, WeijaGbawe, Ga West, Ga East, Ga Central, Ga North, Ga South, Accra Metropolitan, Avawaso East, Ayawaso North, and Ayawaso Central.

The Girls-In-ICT program was introduced in 2012 by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the growing field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The global theme for this year's celebration is "Leadership."

COCOBOD ends scholarships due to Free SHS

 The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced the cessation of its longstanding scholarship initiative due to the introduction of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme by the government.

In response to this shift, COCOBOD has established the Cocoa Board Education Trust, which aims to enhance primary school facilities in neglected cocoa-producing regions.

The Chairman of COCOBOD, Peter Mac Manu, explained that the termination of the scholarship scheme was a necessary adaptation to the new educational landscape created by the Free SHS initiative.

He remarked, "With the advent of the Free SHS by the Akufo-Addo administration, it’s time for us to adapt and evolve. Although the COCOBOD Scholarship Scheme has been recognized as valuable and significant, it has gradually deviated from its original purpose."

For many years, the COCOBOD Scholarship Scheme provided crucial financial assistance to students from cocoa-producing communities, helping them pursue secondary education.

However, the implementation of the Free SHS initiative, which eliminates tuition fees and other educational costs for high school students, has rendered the scholarship scheme less critical.

As a result, COCOBOD has decided to reallocate its resources towards improving primary education infrastructure in underserved cocoa-growing areas.

The newly founded Cocoa Board Education Trust is central to this new direction. This trust is dedicated to establishing exemplary primary schools in cocoa-producing communities, ensuring that children in these regions receive a solid educational foundation.

Peter Mac Manu emphasized that this initiative underscores COCOBOD's ongoing commitment to the welfare and prosperity of cocoa farmers and their families.

He stated, "As we bid farewell to the Scholarship Scheme, we must look forward and prioritize the continued educational advancement of the cocoa farming community. It’s with this vision that the board of directors has decided to establish the Ghana Cocoa Board Education Trust."

The primary objective of the Education Trust is to provide essential primary school infrastructure in areas that have been historically underserved. This includes building new schools, upgrading existing facilities, and ensuring that these schools are well-equipped to offer quality education.

By focusing on primary education, the trust aims to lay a strong educational foundation for children in cocoa-growing regions, preparing them for future academic and professional success.

Peter Mac Manu highlighted that the creation of the Education Trust reflects COCOBOD's steadfast dedication to supporting cocoa farmers and their children.

He noted, "This trust is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the prosperity and well-being of cocoa farmers and their children. By improving primary education infrastructure, we aim to create better opportunities for the next generation and contribute to the overall development of cocoa-producing communities."

While the end of the COCOBOD Scholarship Scheme marks the end of an era, the establishment of the Cocoa Board Education Trust represents a forward-looking approach to educational support in Ghana's cocoa-producing regions. This initiative ensures that the resources are used to provide significant benefits where they are most needed, fostering a brighter future for the children of cocoa farmers.

 

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Academic City Introduces New MSc Program in Data Science and Analytics

As part their educational initiatives, Academic City University College has launched MSc in Data Science and Analytics program on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024, reaffirming their commitment to delivering top-notch education in response to the needs of the modern world.

Hosting the launch at the university campus inside Haatso, President of Academic City, Prof. Fred McBagonluri, expressed his overwhelmed excitement at the school’s ability to finally launch the course despite numerous challenges.

“Today marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards innovation and progress. It is with great pleasure and excitement that we gather here to celebrate the launch of our new venture into the realm of data science and analytics”, he stated.

In his address, Prof. McBagonluri highlighted the importance of data science and analytics for Ghana and the entire African continent. He underscored the recent efforts by the Ghanaian government, particularly through the National Identification Authority (NIA), to emphasize the critical role of data collection.

Advocating for the registration of newborn babies, Prof. McBagonluri emphasized the importance of providing them with Ghana Cards from birth. This move aligns with the broader goal of enhancing data collection and management in the country.

The Ministry of Education expressed their approval by commending the university for its outstanding contribution to the country's educational advancement.

According to the speech by Hon. Yaw Adutwum, investing in programmes such as the MSc in Data Science and Analytics, is not only preparing students for today's jobs but also equipping them with the skills and knowledge to shape tomorrow's jobs.

“As we look to the future, it is clear that the demand for skilled data scientists and analysts will only continue to grow. Organisations across all sectors are increasingly relying on data-driven insights to inform their decision-making processes and drive innovation,” he stated.

The event brought together diverse participants from corporate, academia, and students, as well as education and youth empowerment enthusiasts.

Bringing the launch to an end, the Department Coordinator for Computational Science and Informatics also the MC for the launch pleaded with the representative for the Ministry of Education, Francis K. E. Nunoo as well as data analytic experts to open their doors by collaborating with the university, providing data and also coming as guest lecturers to enlighten the students in field of Data Science and Analytics.

Speaking to the media, Professor Francis K. E. Nunoo, the Director for Tertiary Education highlighted the importance of education in a country’s development especially in a technology driven world.

He underscored that the Ministry is thrilled to partner with Academic City in launching the Data Science and Analytics program because it will contribute to government efforts to make Ghana more ICT-driven, technology-driven, and data-driven.

“The ministry so happy to partner with Academic city in launching this programme, because it is going to contribute to government efforts, make Ghana more ICT driven, more technology driven, more data-driven.

As Africans have we have been a little slow when they come to technology skills and the time for us to run with it is now.

This programme that Academic City is doing is a wonderful one, it’s directly into the government vision and fits into a national vision to grow this economy and this is wonderful” he added.

The MSc in Data Science program at Academic City aims to develop expertise in widely used analytics tools, foster independent problem-solving abilities in business contexts using analytics and data science.

It also focuses on comprehending the applications and implications of data science across industries, extracting strategic business insights from data, building predictive models for future trends, and gaining a substantial understanding of industry applications in data science and analytics portfolios.

 

 

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