Through the use of technology, the world, particularly the Asian and European continents, is rapidly developing. For a country to develop, it will require massive participation in the use of technology, particularly in the twenty-first century. This is to say that we now live in a technological and knowledge-driven economy.
Genius IT Foundation being a Tech-based foundation is looking at high-end innovative ways of improving knowledge and skills in computer science which will help Ghana and Africa to close the digital divide between Africa and the other developed continents.
This concept note, therefore, seeks to explain some very good if not the best approach to investing in today’s young people for tomorrow’s development through the use of technology.
THE PROBLEM
Genius IT Foundation being a Tech-Based Organization has implemented the “Catch Them Young” Computer Science Program which has the sole aim of introducing children from Basic all through to Senior High School to computer science. These children at this level are in their formative years and are in a better position to learn and develop their minds and abilities in these areas. Looking at where Africa is in terms of Technological creativity, there needs to be a deliberate intervention to what the future holds.
In our attempt to implement the “Catch Them Young Project”, the foundation has realized a huge challenge that will in several ways impede the implementation of this project as well as inhibit the realization of the objectives of the project. This challenge has to do with the accessibility of computers in schools as well as teachers’ knowledge of computer science.
Speaking with several basic and secondary school tutors on topics relating to computer science, they seem to have very little to no knowledge of the use of basic ICT tools such as MS – Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, etc. talk less of delving into specific computer science subject matters like basic programmings and database management skills just to mention a few.
This is a challenge and an immediate inhibition to the progress we desire; for kids to learn the foundation of computer science. Teachers have a huge influence on the children they teach. Being with these children for that length of time has a significant impact on how these children develop psychologically and intellectually.
If these teachers can be trained in basic IT skills, they will be in a better position to influence their students to take these concepts seriously as they develop their skills in Computer Science-related STEM subjects and activities.
Another difficulty we encountered while attempting to implement the “Catch Them Young” Program was a lack of computers and computer laboratories. We intend to provide equal opportunities for all schools, but not all schools have the necessary logistics for us to engage their students and teachers in studying to acquire these skills.
For schools that do have labs, the computers are in poor condition, the labs are not properly maintained and monitored, lab security is lacking, there is a lack of internet access, projectors and printers for teaching and learning, among other things.
Because Ghana is regarded as the gateway to Africa, it must develop the necessary human capacity in technological fields.
WAY FORWARD
Genius IT Foundation is always looking for innovative ways of solving this challenge which will in turn be a solution to the root of the challenges and threats to the development of the tech Generation in Ghana.
- COMPUTER FOR SCHOOLS DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM (CS DP)
This program as instituted by the foundation seeks to solicit either partially used or brand new computers, printers, projectors, and internet facilities for schools to enable them efficiently and adequately introduce their students to computer literacy and science education.
- COMPUTER SCIENCE FACILITIES FOR SCHOOLS MONITORING PROGRAM
There have been great investments by the Ghana Government as well as many Non-Governmental Organizations in proving IT facilities and equipment to facilitate the teaching and learning of computer literacy in our schools. Due to a lack of monitoring and maintenance, these facilities and equipment have broken down and most of them haven’t been fixed or replaced. This program is to roll out a comprehensive monitoring program that will help monitor the use of these ICT facilities and equipment to ensure their effective use. If need be for replacements, the foundation will spearhead doing so to keep our equipment and facilities in good shape.
This will also help to gather data on the state of ICT Infrastruture and its use across the schools in Ghana hence making it easy to know where to make improvements when necessary.
- COMPUTER SCIENCE PROFESSIONAL TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM (CSP TTP)
Genius IT Foundation seeks to expand and transform the Volta Region of Ghana into a hub of Technological expertise with men and women who are creative and innovative, possessing world-class leadership and Entrepreneurship skills in leading themselves to success with the tech skills they will be equipped with through our Catch Them Young Tech Program among other very relevant programs designed to achieve this objective.
To do this, the foundation seeks to begin training young people, especially those in the upper primary through to the senior high school level with computer science skills that will enable them to communicate well and efficiently with the computer in creating applications that can solve real-world problems in the future thereby placing Ghana in the position to be self-reliant when it comes to the creation and use of technology.
To achieve success with this critical project, there is an urgent need to begin equipping teachers who are constantly in direct contact with our students. Teachers have a huge influence on students, and the Genius IT Foundation wants to use that influence to help students learn computer science much more effectively with the help of their teachers.
In this regard, Genius IT Foundation conducted a few surveys and concluded that approximately 80% of teachers in the Volta region have little to no knowledge in computing, particularly basic skills in MS-Word, MS-Excel, PowerPoint, and databases, programming, internet communication, and so on. Most computer science teachers in primary and secondary schools have computer literacy skills rather than computer science skills, which involve at least basic programming skills with most of them having only rudimentary skills.
The inception of the pandemic created the necessity for teachers to have to teach their students virtually through the use of technology. This has exposed a great amount of them who have very little to no knowledge of its use.
This places our Catch Them Young Tech Program in a difficult state in getting teachers to effectively communicate these tech skills with their students. Getting to know the place of computer science and how it is affecting our world of work, teachers seem to not be considered in the process well as it should be. Teachers are the main contacts when it comes to educating our children and for that matter, they having adequate or at least average skills in computing will go a long way to help them communicate this science to students in helping drive their interest.
With the new curriculum designed for our basic and second cycle institutions, computer literacy and science are playing very major roles and for this new curriculum to yield the desired result, teachers need to be well equipped with basic to advance IT skills to empower them to communicate effectively with their students.
