Some 40 out-of-school children have received Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training organised by the Complementary Education Agency (CEA) and the Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling (CENDLOS) in Accra.
The training was part of activities of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO’s) Accra World Book Capital 2023.
The Accra World Book Capital is aimed at celebrating and promoting the literary achievements and cultural heritage of Accra, specifically (and Ghana in general) to equip vulnerable and marginalised groups such as children, the youth, head porters (kayayei) and persons living with disability with reading, creative-writing and employable skills.
Ms Barbara Naa Ayikai Okine, Acting Director, Curriculum and Assessment, CEA, said the fourth industrial revolution conceptualised the rapid change to technology, industries, and societal patterns and processes in the 21st century.
That, she said was due to increasing interconnectivity and smart automation.
‘It was no more a desire whether to flow with the current dispensation or not. The time to acquire Information and Communication Technology is now,’ Ms Okine stated.
The Acting Director said the skill set for ICT in the 21st Century was the game changer and the denominator that had the ability to transform society.
She said the world had been invaded by the tools of ICT, hence, it was imperative that everyone ensured that the ‘have-nots’ would acquire the knowledge to help them navigate their way through life.
”We, at the Complementary Education Agency treasure skills training. Premium is placed on every training that ensures the individual acquires the needed skill set,” the Acting Director, said.
Ms Okine called for continuous support to change the unemployment narrative, which was an existential threat to national security and the stability of the nation.
Mr Apollonius Osei-Akoto Asare, Chief Programme Officer, Ghana Commission for UNESCO, said literacy encompassed more than just reading, writing, and mathematical skills.
He said beyond the technical aspects of the training of the children, it was also an opportunity to foster essential life skills.
Mr Asare said the children would acquire problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, and effective communication skills, which would be valuable in the job market and personal lives making people rounded individuals ready to embrace any challenge that confronted them.
”Together, let us pave the way to a brighter future – a future where we are not just passive consumers of technology, but active creators, innovators, and change-makers,’ he said.
The CEA is mandated to deliver Complementary Basic Education and is responsible for out-of-school programmes.
Source: Ghana News Agency