The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT), in collaboration with the Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana (IIPGH) and the International Girls in ICT Day 2023, have commemorated the Coding Caravan 2023, branded 'Digital Skills for Life.'

The Coding Caravan is a digital skills education campaign that aims to raise young children's attention to the benefits of ICT and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Mrs. Esther Quaye-Sowah, Director of Education for Birim Central Municipality, addressed the session, and?expressed?their determination and desire to collaborate with entities whose goal was to promote the competencies of the girl child in STEM.

She emphasised the importance of ICT as an important aspect of STEM and stated that 200 basic?schoolgirls from different institutions were chosen for the activity.

'The entire world is seeking to embrace transformation to better their socio-economic development through STEM education, and Ghana cannot be left behind,' she said.

The Ministry of Communication and Digitization is driving the coding caravan initiative to expedite Ghana's digitization efforts towards STEM education, with a focus on the female child.

According to Mrs. Quaye-Sowah, the action has the potential to help reduce gender disparity in Ghanaian society.

She advised young girls and other participants to work hard to get the necessary skills that would help in addressing current social problems as well as creating job prospects for females at the technological centre.

Mrs. Ruth Kyere Fekaah, Deputy Director of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Communication and Digitalization, speaking on behalf of Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the substantive minister, stated that the ministry intends to provide basic computer literacy training to 5000 girls by the end of 2023.

She further said?it was critical for girls and women to take advantage of today's pace of innovation in ICT by pursuing a career in ICT, which is why the ministry launched the Girls in ICT project to boost their interest in ICT education.

In addition, the ministry is developing a rural telephone and digital inclusion initiative that will link three million Ghanaians.

Mr. Kenneth Ashigbey, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, stated that starting on the Coding Caravan, an exercise that teaches young people how to utilise ICT to tackle social challenges, is critical.

He added?that the number of women participating in ICT in the nation was?quite low, and that encouraging girls' engagement from an early age is necessary to overcome the gender gap in the ICT field.

He recommended that basic schoolchildren seize the chance to use ICT tools in an equitable and beneficial manner, while avoiding the negative effects linked to ICT.

Mr. Ashigbey urged societies to invest in ICT education to find solutions to the?current challenges.

Mrs. Juliana Ametorwogo, Women's Lead for the Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana, told Ghana News Agency that the Coding Caravan 2023 seeks to raise the interest of young children at their tender age.

She said the IIPGH was collaborating with Vodafone Ghana to teach over a thousand females coding throughout the year to increase education and visibility about ICT and STEM.

The IIPGH has taken several measures to contribute to ICT education but believes that it is a significant duty to provide ICT education to every Ghanaian.

Source: Ghana News Agency