100 Teachers Undergo Training to Empower 1,000 Girls in ICT in Upper West Region

The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations has commenced a five-day training programme in Wa for 100 teachers drawn from all 11 districts of the Upper West Region under the government’s flagship National Girls in ICT Initiative.

The initiative, aimed at equipping girls with critical digital skills, expects the trained teachers to return to their districts and train 1,000 girls across the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Austin Hesse, Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry, said the programme is a significant step in shaping the digital future of young Ghanaian girls.

“Digital technologies have the potential to boost 70 percent of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, despite progress, there remains a wide gender gap with 250 million more men online than women,” he noted.

“The Girls in ICT Initiative presents a unique opportunity to close this participation gap and ensure that our youth are not just consumers of digital technologies but active creators shaping the digital world.”

He highlighted government’s broader efforts to build a digital workforce, including the One Million Coders Programme, which has already trained more than 900 youth in areas such as coding, artificial intelligence, big data analysis, and cybersecurity.

Bawa Shaibu, Head of Training at the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), assured participants of the Fund’s continued support in bridging the digital divide. He announced incentives to encourage excellence among participants, including laptops and cash prizes for outstanding students.

“The best three girls will go home with GH¢3,500, GH¢3,000, and GH¢2,500 respectively, while 100 top-performing girls will benefit from refurbished or newly established ICT labs in their schools,” he disclosed.

The Upper West Regional Director of Education, Abdul-Razak Korah, commended the selection process for drawing teachers directly from classrooms. He emphasized that their training would have a ripple effect, as the knowledge gained would not only benefit the 1,000 girls targeted but also the teachers’ regular students.

“You may be one teacher drawn from your school, but the responsibility is to multiply yourself in your circuit. This initiative must not end here – it should transform everyday classroom teaching,” he said.

In his keynote address, the Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, praised the teachers for their commitment and urged them to take the training seriously.

“When a girl gains ICT skills, she uplifts her peers, her family, and her community. You are the mentors and role models who will inspire them to break stereotypes and believe in their limitless potential,” he stated.

“The Regional Coordinating Council stands ready to support this initiative so every girl can dream boldly, explore confidently, and succeed in the digital age.”

The National Girls in ICT Initiative, spearheaded by government in collaboration with development partners, has so far trained 15,981 girls and 1,292 teachers nationwide in digital skills ranging from coding and machine learning to basic ICT.