To bridge the digital divide and empower young girls with essential technological skills, the Seats For Ladies In STEM (S4LIS) initiative, under the auspices of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, celebrated Girls-in-ICT Day 2024 by training 200 female students and 50 teachers in the Ablekuma West Municipality in Accra, in Information Communication Technology (ICT) related topics.
The female students, drawn from different schools in the municipality, converged at the Dansoman Cluster ‘A’ schools, where they were introduced to the fundamentals of coding using the scratch software, internet safety, 3D printing, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Dubbed “Breaking Barriers: Coding Leadership and Inclusion for All,” the event which was organized in partnership with the Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana (IIPGH) aimed to foster interest in technology among female students and equip them with foundational skills in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. This initiative was part of the 2024 edition of the Coding Caravan, organized for young pupils across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, emphasized the program’s potential to transform the lives of the young ladies and contribute to national development down the line.
“We need women in ICT to join us in mentoring these young girls. By sharing your stories, you can help demystify ICT and inspire the next generation of female leaders in the digital world,” she said.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful, who is also the Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, further urged the young ladies to take advantage of the numerous opportunities to study ICT related courses.
“You need to have a curious mind, have the desire to want to learn and be hungry for knowledge. So, for you being given this opportunity, especially at this young age, there’s nothing you cannot achieve if you apply your mind to it.”
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, stated that the coding caravan was designed to bring digital education directly to young girls and boys, especially those in upper primary and junior high school.
He said the initiative aimed to shift ICT learning from theoretical instructions to practical applications, equipping young learners with the skills to solve real-world challenges. “The plan is to use this as a proof of concept to show the Ghana Education Service (GES) that we can conduct practical ICT examinations. We want to move ICT education from theoretical learning to more practical experiences. Our goal is to have kids solve real problems using technology,” he said.
Dr. Ashigbey also highlighted that the program sought to create awareness about the practical applications of ICT, providing training for both students and teachers to ensure the sustainability of the program as educators can continue to build their capacity and teach future students. “We want to make sure that ICT teaching and examinations become more practical,” he explained.
The Director of Operations at IIPGH, Kafui Amanfu, emphasized the partners’ commitment to providing digital literacy training to children in underserved communities, noting that the program had expanded from a small pilot in Accra to other regions.
The Ablekuma West Director of Education, Christian Julius Aforlah, expressed gratitude for the new coding program implemented for both teachers and students. He said that with students and teachers becoming more adept in coding, the school could participate in regional and national tech competitions, further integrating the students into the global tech community.
The Seats For Ladies In STEM (S4LIS) INITIATIVE and Girls-in-ICT Day 2024 celebration demonstrated a significant step towards bridging the digital divide and empowering the next generation of female leaders in STEM fields.
Source: S4LIS News Desk