Establish coding clubs to tap into ICT knowledge – Ursula urges schools

Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu Ekuful, has called on heads of schools to establish coding clubs in order to tap into the burgeoning ICT knowledge.

Mrs Owusu Ekuful made the call on Sunday at the Girls in ICT mentorship forum, under the global theme: ‘Expanding horizons and changing attitudes.’

As part of this year’s Girls in ICT programme, the Communications Ministry trained 560 Junior High School girls in basic ICT programmes with women role models selected from the country’s ICT sector to interact with and give motivational talks to the students on the growing and rewarding careers in ICT as the sector is marked by a pressing need for a wide range of ICT talents.

Addressing the forum, Mrs Owusu Ekuful spoke of the need for young girls to expand their horizon and push the boundaries, saying, “We must change our attitudes knowing that there is no barrier limiting us to do any kind of work as women/girls.”

“There is nothing one cannot do if you put your mind to it and make a firm commitment to it. We need to have that desire to succeed.”

She said after the successful Girls in ICT training in Volta, Central, Eastern, Northern, Ashanti, and now Western, “our girls have come to know ICT is not complex and with a little push, they can dominate the alleged male-dominated sector.”

According to her, every successful woman was once a child but through education and perseverance, they all succeeded and that “there is nothing beyond our capabilities.”

She, therefore, implored all schools to establish coding clubs as a continuous process of education and researching for the knowledge the ministry keeps impacting onto our young girls.

The best performing 10 students will be awarded Laptops, Modems and cash prizes for the top 3 alongside the teachers who taught these girls.