
Hawawu Omoro of Bandaman Islamic JHS
A 14-year old girl, Hawawu Omoro, a second-year pupil of the Bandaman Islamic JHS in the Banda District has emerged as the over-all best student in this year year’s Bono regional Girls In ICT (GIICT) project organised in Sunyani for one thousand female pupils and one hundred teachers drawn from various basic schools in the region.
For her prize, she took home a laptop computer, a plague and a cash of GHC3, 000.
Jessica Boahen, of Drobo Demonstration JHS, came second while Emmanuella Agyeiwaa won the third position.
They both received laptop computers and plagues, with Jessica going home with GHC2,500 while Emmanuella had GHC2,000.
In addition to receiving a laptop computer, each of the first 20 participants of the competition would have an ultra-modern cyber laboratory built in their schools while the first hundred participants, who also excelled, were each given a laptop computer.
Determination
Speaking to the Daily Statesman after receiving her prize, Hawawu Omoro expressed gratitude to the government for the opportunity.
“Now, I have been exposed to the world of I.C.T, and I can personally develop games and make maximum use of various software and programmes on the computer. I have also learnt how to use the computer for typing,” she added.
She said it was quite challenging at the initial stages of the project, but as time went by, she adjusted to the tutorials, and managed to emerge as the over-all best among her colleagues at the end of the day.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, urged the winner to be vigilant in pursuing the interest she has in science and ICT.
“We need to develop and grow the digital literacy skills of our children for them to become solution providers and innovators able to use technology to solve socio-economic problems. We are hopeful that in time, their innovative solutions will not only have a national application, but also meet global demand. Our strategy is to catch them young to inculcate the ICT spirit in them,” the Minister assured.
Certificates were presented to all one thousand girls who participated in the training programme and the one hundred teachers and coordinators.
The Girls in ICT seeks to introduce girls and young women to ICT, expose them to opportunities existing in the ICT sector, inspire them to embrace ICT and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), raise awareness amongst them and ultimately get them to pursue careers in these fields, as the whole world migrates to increased use of digital platforms.