Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George says within just one week of announcing the One Million Coders Training Program, almost 92,000 (91,837) Ghanaian youth have put in applications for the program.
Delivering his welcome address at the official launch of the One Million Coders Training Program, the Minister said the first cohort for the pilot was intended to be just 260 students, but within four days of announcing the program, there were over 4,000 applications. So, the number was doubled to 520 to run a double track for the first cohort.
But as of the time of the official launch, the Minister said the number of applications had reached almost 92,000 (91,837), indicating the wisdom in President John Mahama’s vision behind the initiative and its relevance to the Ghanaian youth, and to the future of the country.
The launch of the One Million Coders Program is in fulfilment of a campaign promise by President John Mahama to introduce digital skills training for one million Ghanaian youth within 120 days of coming to power.
In line with that promised, the program is designed to offer at least one million Ghanaian youth with formal training in digital skill under six carefully designed modules, with the view to preparing the youth for current and future job opportunity, and also to empower them to be entrepreneurs and create jobs for themselves and others.
The six modules, which come in beginner, intermediary and advanced levels, include Certified Cybersecurity Professional, Certified Network Support Technician, Certified Data Protection Manager, Certified Data Protection Expert, Certified Data Protection Officer, Certified Data Protection Professional, and Data Analyst Associate.
Each of the courses will have coding as a fundamental program, and there will also be an Elective Coding Course to be run as part of the entire program.
Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence is leading the content creation and training under the program, which will first be piloted in four locations – Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani and Tamale, before it will go nationwide over the four-year period.
The Minister said modules are specifically crafted to equip the youth with the digital skills they need, not just to survive, but to lead in the 21st century economy as thinkers, builders and problem solvers who will shape the future of the country with “code in their hands, and opportunities in sight.”
Sam George noted that far too many of Ghanaian and African youth remain outside of opportunities in the digital economy, hence the thirst for digital skills.
“In Ghana it is estimated that only 7% of our youth have the opportunity of structured digital training and across sub-Sahara Africa nearly 60% of our youth lack foundational digital skills. This is not just a missed opportunity, but a barrier to progress, and we must break it down,” he said.
He also noted that in Ghana, nearly one in five young people are not in education and training, and digital exclusion remain highest among rural populations, women and persons with this abilities and they will be factored under the program.
“This program is a bold and transformative initiative that marks a new chapter in Ghana’s digital journey and a promise to the youth that government is committed to ensuring that no Ghanaian will be left behind in the digital age,” he stated.
Indeed, earlier, the Minister had indicated that the Ministry is collaborating with tertiary institutions across the country to ensure that at least coding becomes and compulsory course, and each student must be required to get at least a credit in coding before they can graduate.
This program, he said, will prepare the youth, not only to take advantage of the several jobs that will be created under the government’s 24-hour economy policy, but also to take advantage of the millions of jobs expected to be created in the digital economy across Africa, by 2030.
Sam George said, by partnering with the private sector, the One Million Coders Program will be used to prepare the youth to drive Ghana’s industrialization and economic growth, adding that it will also contribute immensely to improving the quality of Ghana’s education system by increasing digital literacy and enhancing the chances of the youth to be relevant in the global economy.
He assured Ghanaians that the program will be used to boost digital literacy nationwide and bridge the gap between what is taught in the classroom and what the job market demands.
The Minister said government intends to ensure that, through the program, technology and innovation will not just be seen as buzz words, but as tools for economic growth and transformation of the country.
Interested persons can register for the program at https://onemillioncoders.gov.gh
