Accra: With the third Ghana Education Service (GES) academic term for basic schools in full swing, Telecel Ghana Foundation is rolling out the fourth cohort of its growing DigiTech Academy by extending its reach to five new regions to train 500 students in advanced digital skills.
According to Ghana Web, the DigiTech Academy, part of the Telecel Ghana Foundation's Connected Learning initiative, offers a 12-week after-school program designed to bolster Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education with practical technical training for upper primary and junior high school students. The program involves weekly in-person sessions where young learners are introduced to robotics, coding, and web application development, culminating in the creation of functional digital solutions to address community challenges after the 3-month training period.
The new cohort is set to commence in the first week of May, operating in Yendi in the Northern Region, Sawla in the Savannah Region, Nalerigu in the North East Region, Effiakuma in the Western Region, and Enchi in the Western North Region. Teachers in participating schools have been pre-trained by implementing partners Mingo Foundation and Asustem Robotics, ensuring that expertise remains within schools to guide students beyond the program's duration.
Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, Head of Foundation, Sustainability, and External Communications at Telecel Ghana, emphasized the importance of digital education for all children, stating, "We believe every child, regardless of where they live, deserves the opportunity to understand the digital world and the skills needed to build innovative tech-driven solutions. With every new cohort, we are building a pipeline of digital talent and strengthening the role of teachers in sustaining this knowledge."
In Effia-Kwesimintsim municipality, local leaders expressed robust support for the DigiTech Academy during a visit to St. Anthony of Padua Primary and JHS, one of the beneficiary schools. Hon. Philip Fiifi Buckman, member of parliament for the Kwesimintsim constituency, along with the District Director of Education, Gloria Biney-Gontor, and officials from the Education Directorate, formally welcomed the program to the area. Hon. Buckman encouraged students to seize the opportunity to solve problems and gain digital skills beyond social media, pledging full support and gratitude to the Telecel Foundation for their commitment.
The Telecel DigiTech Academy, developed in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana STEM Centre, complements classroom learning by aligning with the national curriculum and supports the broader national agenda to enhance digital literacy. The initiative began with a pilot phase involving 50 students in Ho Dome in the Volta Region and has grown into a nationwide program, impacting over 2,000 learners.
A strong emphasis on inclusion is central to the initiative, with up to 70 percent of beneficiaries being female, addressing gender disparities in STEM fields. Previous cohorts have developed innovative prototype solutions, including smart irrigation systems, firefighting robots, smart spectacles for the visually impaired, basic e-commerce platforms, flood detection systems, and automated security alarm systems.
As students in Cohort 4 embark on their educational journey, anticipation builds for their final project showcase in July, where learners will present capstone projects designed to solve real-world problems in their communities.