About 60,000 female students in Senior High Schools in Ashanti, Eastern and Central Regions in the country are benefiting from Girls-in-ICT programme which is focused on training girls in Cyber Security.
The programme, initiated by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Huawei Technologies, Ghana, focuses on cyber security and will benefit female students in the Ashanti, Eastern and Central regions.
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The Girls-in-ICT progtamme is aimed at providing IT education to girls in SHS and to ebhance their knowledge in Cyber Security fundamentals to help them stay safe in the internet world.
The beneficiary schools in Ashanti Region include Wesley Girls Senior High School (SHS), Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School, St Louis, Serwaa Nyarko, Kumasi Girls, the Adventist Girls SHS, St Mary’s Girls, Afua Kobi Ampem Girls, St Monica’s, TI Ahmadiya and Prince of Peace.
In the Eastern Region, Methodist Girls, Aburi Girls, Krobo Girls, Diaspora Girls, St Roses , Islamic Girls and St Mary’s Vocational and Technical Institute are the beneficiary schools.
Holy Child, Wesley Girls and Mfantsiman Girls in the Central Region will also benefit from the programme.
Topics being treated include the Child Online Protection Provisions in the New Cyber Security Act 2020 and the SMART Acronym which explains how to stay safe online.
The SHS girls will also to be trained on risks associated with the use of internet which include identification of fake news, cyber bullying, sextortion, cyber stalking, among others.
In relation to the Cyber Security Education, the girls would be sensitised on the need to report all cyber-related issues confronting them to the National Cyber Security Authority on short code 292 for prompt response and necessary assistance.
According to the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the initiative was part of efforts to continue empowering the youth with the digital skills they urgently needed to thrive in the new technological era.
She expressed the hope that much enthusiasm would be generated among girls to enhance ICT education in the country.
The Girls-in-ICT is an initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), aimed at introducing young girls to basic ICT skills.
Source: graphic.com gh
