The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) has completed an intensive digital literacy program for some Junior High School (JHS) graduates. The program introduced participants to Office Productivity Suite (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) and web design through hands-on, interactive lessons, resulting in enhanced technology skills and renewed confidence for their educational future. Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Director for Corporate Affairs at GI-KACE, Kobi Hemaa Osisiadan, indicated that, the program was designed specifically for students who recently completed their BECE, focusing on Office Productivity Suite training while introducing participants to web development, game development, and digital citizenship principles. According to her, the program was not just a course but a journey for young minds to be given the power of digital literacy to unlock potential and inspire innovation. “GI-KACE plans to expand the program, incorporate more advanced modules, and create alumni networks to support ongoing learning and collaboration,” she stated. Kobi Hemaa Osisiadan was optimistic that, the training the JHS graduates received during the five weeks will undoubtedly grow into innovations, solutions, and contributions that will benefit not just their own lives, but their communities and nation as a whole.
After the training for the JHS leavers, GI-KACE also commenced its flagship Coding for Youth for kids within the 10- 16-year age bracket. The kids were put into two different classes: 10 -14 years and 14- 16years, respectively. Both classes were taken through intensive sessions in Scratch, Mobirise, HTML, AI with Teachable Machine, Mobile Application Development and Python Programming Basics, among others. At the end of the program, the kids were put in groups and given a capstone project, which they presented to their parents and facilitators at their graduation event. Marketing Manager at GI-KACE, Sarata Omane expressed her satisfaction in the enthusiasm that the kids demonstrated throughout their study at GI-KACE. “I am so much impressed about the eagerness and comportment of our youth; the program paved the way for these students to view technology as a tool for positive community change,” she added. The graduation ceremony celebrated the transformation of the students who received certificates and medals for their hard work.