The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has outlined plans to allow schoolchildren to use facilities established under the One Million Coders Programme (OMCP) to develop basic information and communication technology skills.
He said the Community ICT Centres were not intended exclusively for adults enrolled in the coding programme but could also serve pupils in surrounding schools, particularly those without ICT laboratories.
Mr George made the remarks during an engagement with trainees and community stakeholders at the Asawase Community ICT Centre in the Ashanti Region.
The discussion followed a question from a school head who asked whether children, including a 10-year-old pupil interested in technology, could participate in the initiative.
The minister explained that the centres had been strategically located within clusters of schools to make the facilities accessible to pupils.
“The plan is to have the centre administrator create a window in the training period for the school children themselves to also come and use the system,” he said.
He clarified, however, that the One Million Coders Programme had not yet been structured specifically for children of that age.
Instead, he said pupils could use the available computers to acquire basic ICT skills, including typing and using Microsoft Office applications.
Mr George urged centre administrators to work with headteachers to develop schedules that would allow schools to access the facilities without disrupting the training of enrolled participants.
He suggested that, where a centre served five schools, each school could be allocated a two-hour period during the week.
The arrangement could be organised in rotation, with different classes accessing the facilities in subsequent weeks.
The minister said such a system would help extend the benefits of the government’s digital infrastructure to pupils who might otherwise lack access to computers and ICT learning facilities.
He also disclosed that the government was working with the Ashanti Regional Minister and district authorities to establish additional centres in areas where suitable facilities were not yet available.
According to him, district authorities had been encouraged to use part of their common fund to renovate and equip learning centres, with the aim of completing the work by the end of 2026.
Mr George expressed optimism that expanding the network would reduce the distance residents travel to access digital skills training and help more communities benefit from the initiative.
