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April 12, 2003
Launching the "CatchITYoung"
Pilot Project in Ghana, West Africa
Winneba Secondary School, Winneba, Ghana
By Kafui Amenu Prebbie
Country Director, Ghana
oneVillage Foundation
Saturday 29th March, 2003 will forever be a landmark in
the history of Information and Communications Technology
(ICT) in Ghana and on the continent of Africa, as it marked
the beginning of a new youth-led ICT project aimed at augmenting
the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) objectives
especially that of the ICT task force, the e-Africa Commission.
The launch of CatchITYoung – Information Technology
Clubs in Pre-tertiary African Educational Institutions was
hosted by Winneba Secondary School, one of the beneficiary
institutions, in the Central Region of Ghana. Preparations
for the project started just four weeks before the launch,
during a one-day seminar of all Heads and Club Patrons of
beneficiary institutions in Winneba. After the event the
organizers were happy that their toil was reciprocated by
the successful launch. Being inspired by the United Nation
Secretary General, Kofi Annan who stated in the Millennium
Goals Declaration that "young people should be at the forefront
of global change and innovation", the day was organized
and managed by young people to the admiration of the elderly
present.
African Youth Initiative (AYI), an umbrella organization
founded by oneVillage Foundation, Ghana, Go-online Africa
and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) envisions that with
the project, every member and club patron (Teacher) would
have basic computer literacy by tapping the scarce but valuable
knowledge from CatchITYoung Volunteers who are IT professionals.
The Co- founder of AYI and Country Director of oneVillage
Foundation-Ghana, Kafui Amenu Prebbie (Mr) introduced the
dignitaries. In his address later, he stated that CatchITYoung
clubs in first and second cycle educational institutions
in Africa, was a platform and strategy to ensure youth empowerment
by developing youth readiness to promote quality and visible
contribution to national/continental development through
the use of ICT tools. He mentioned the official recognition
of the project by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry
of Communications and Technology both in Ghana. He also
mentioned the New Academic Year ICT School, an annual exhibition,
conference and workshop of all project stakeholders, the
first of which was to be held in August 2003 in line with
the e-Awareness Project of NEPAD's ICT task force.
It became abundantly clear at the launch, which was one
of the pilot in two regions (Central and Greater Accra)
in Ghana that, institutions and the Ghana Education Service
(GES) were ready to help youth-focused and led initiatives
such as CatchITYoung. The headmaster of Winneba Secondary
School Mr. Yarney echoed this when he told the gathering
during his welcome address that, schools were ready to support
with resources at their Science Resource Centers and Computer
laboratories.
Mr. J. Ato Ampiah, a national coordinator of the project
emphasized that the project was to support the e-Africa
Commission's objective of introducing basic ICT literacy
in pre-tertiary educational institutions in the e-Schools
Projects which aimed at turning out IT literate students
in all African educational institutions by 2013.
The District Director of Education, Winneba, Mr. Frank
Essien who launched the project was greatly praised by the
organizers for his invaluable assistance to the project.
In his speech, he was also of praise to the organizers for
coming out with such a good and timely initiative to enhance
universal access, and what made him more proud was that,
the initiative begun in his district thus pledged his continued
support.
Before him the Country Coordinator of TakingITGlobal-Ghana
Mr. Ezekiel Annan in his address, said as a project partner
he identified with the vision and had adopted the Chemu
Secondary School-Tema in the Greater Accra Region to roll
out the project.
In attendance also were heads of various departments in
Winneba Secondary School, Patrons and Club members of Apam
Secondary School, Staff of Winneba Science Resource Center,
a delegation from TakingITGlobal-Ghana and IT volunteers
from International Young Professionals Foundation (IYPF)
and all National Coordinators. Club patrons comprising two
teachers from each school and an average of twenty students
per school were present.
First cycle schools present from Winneba included
- Methodist 'A' & 'C' Junior Secondary
- Methodist 'B' Junior Secondary
- Don Bosco Junior Secondary
- Presby Junior Secondary
- St. Johns Anglican Junior Secondary
- ACM Junior Secondary
- University Practice Junior Secondary
(South Campus)
- University Practice Junior Secondary
(North Campus )
- A.M.E. Zion Junior Secondary
"A" & "D"
- Methodist "B" Junior Secondary
A mini exhibition was mounted by Ampex Computer Systems,
a project partner to showcase the potentials ICT and to
the amazement of the house, a five-year old boy displayed
his depth of knowledge in the use of ICT and this challenged
all present how "Catching IT Young" was very important.
During refreshment, a meeting between all patrons and
National coordinators was held during which it was agreed
that, the first session of training for patrons in Winneba
District was to start on 1st April, 2003 and to run for
a minimum of three weeks. Subsequently monthly refresher
workshops for all patrons in Winneba would be held on the
third Saturday of every month. Workshops for patrons in
Apam District would be held the second Saturday of every
month also after an initial three-week course in from third
week in April.
Media Coverage was encouraging, as pressmen from Radio
Ghana and TV3 from Accra, and Radio Peace and Radio Windy
Bay from Winneba were present to cover the event.
All events came to a close with a meeting of the national
coordinators at the Windy-Royal Beach Resort, Winneba which
ended at 4:10pm. |