1000 girls are being equipped with ICT skills in the Northern Region of Ghana by Communications Ministry

On Monday, July 17, 2023, the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD) initiated the training of 1000 girls in the Northern Region in fundamental Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills.

The girls will receive instruction in coding, cyber security, website development, and other related areas.

A previous group of 1000 girls has already undergone training in the Savannah region.

The selection of participants was carried out in collaboration with the sixteen Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) which include Mion, Karaga, Tolon, Kumbungu, Savelugu, Tamale, Nanton, Sagnarigu, Kpandai, Gushegu, Tatali, Nanumba South, Nanumba North, Yendi, Saboba, and Zabzugu.

This training initiative is part of the Girls-In-ICT program, implemented by the Ministry in partnership with its agencies, to bridge the gender gap in ICT within the country.

A statement from the Head of Public Relations at the MoCD, Naa Korkoi Essah, and copied to Graphic Online, indicated that the training will take place at various centers across the region.

The statement also mentioned that 100 selected teachers from the different districts have been trained to facilitate the program.

The five-day training program will culminate in a mentorship session, where women currently working in the ICT field will share their personal and professional experiences with the Girls-in-ICT participants. This session aims to encourage and guide them in their future careers and endeavors.

An open-day experience is also planned, where the top 100 girls from the selected region will be brought to Accra for a week-long tour of the offices of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), companies in the ICT industry, select MoCD agencies, and the opportunity to interact with women in the industry.

The statement highlighted notable achievements between 2017 and 2022, while emphasizing that the Girls-In-ICT program was introduced in 2012 by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to empower and encourage girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation adopted the initiative in 2017 as a platform to equip girls between the ages of 9 and 15 years (Upper Primary to Junior High School) with basic ICT and coding skills.

The program is implemented with support from the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) as the technical resource provider, and training is conducted by the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence (KACE). Additional support is provided by MTN Ghana, the National Communications Authority (NCA), American Towers Company (ATC), the Ministry of Education, GIZ, and others.

Source: Graphic online