Think about new knowledge producing forms of education
 For two decades, Ghana has been a testing ground for economic reforms. Today, it can be seen at as an African pace-setter in search of new levels of prosperity. However, one of the country’s biggest challenges as it tries to break through into a higher level of economic growth remains creating a solid education system. Clearly recognizable, ICT plays a major role, as it has become the eye of a needle an increasing number of people have to pass through to escape from poverty, especially in rural regions. Nowadays, many Ghanaian employees require proficient ICT skills, and it is also a sine qua non for secondary and higher education. To think about more "knowledge producing” forms of education has become a crucial issue for combating unemployment of youth, as well as for getting more people into service industries.
by Nina Wittrock
With the help of a refined ICT and education policy, the Ghanaian government has become irrevocably committed to making Ghana a key player in today's digital age. Ghana’s Minister of Education, Paapa Owusu Ankomah, recently announced that his country’s government will introduce universal ICT education into Ghana’s core educational system. He not only noted that proficiency in ICT was becoming a prerequisite for securing employment; he also authorised an extension of ICT knowledge to the remotest parts of Ghana through his department’s ICT for development programme. The Ministry has embarked upon a programme to streamline computer studies in secondary schools. Furthermore, a curriculum has been developed for ICT training and examination at the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) Level. In addition, grand efforts are being made to provide telephone facilities to all senior secondary schools and training colleges to enable them to have access to the Internet. “Our ability to become and stay competitive as a nation is inextricably linked to our ability to ensure that our educational systems are the best we can afford”, says Owusu Ankomah.
Besides school education, the establishment of eLearning and distant learning centres is also evolving in the country. A Google search on eLearning facilities in Ghana revealed the existence of few of such centres. However, there are many (normally public tertiary institutions) which have declared interest or are developing the necessary platforms to integrate the service into their training activities. One of the major players in this context is the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (AITI-KACE). Established in 2003, the Ghana-India joint project works to stimulate the growth of the ICT Sector in ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States). A state-of the-art facility, it provides a dynamic environment for innovation, teaching, and learning, as well as for practical research on the application of ICT4D in Africa. There are also many other eLearning centres across the world that corporate partners could utilise to train their employees.
The local eLearning centres include the University of Ghana, Ghana Institute for Management Public Administration (GIMPA), British Council Ghana, and 2Ti Solutions Limited/ Busy Internet. Other centres that are hosted outside Ghana but which target Ghanaian students include the University of Sunderland, eLeap Learning Management System, and the Lions Gate Learning Alliance, among others. Apart from the University of Ghana and GIMPA, which have developed their own learning modules, the rest are linked to online learning centres outside the country. For example, the British Council’s eLearning portal links Ghanaian students to portals of educational institutions in the United Kingdom. In addition, 2Ti Solutions has established a portal called  www.elearningghana.com, which is linked to some of the world's online training and education providers for small and medium-size enterprises.
There are, however, dark spots in the bright picture, as Dr. Godfred Frempong, leading expert of the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (STEPRI/CSIR), points out. “A serious problem facing the development of the full potential of ICT for education, research and development in the country is the brain drain, which has resulted in the lack of the critical mass of ICT-engineers and scientists relevant for undertaking ICT-related projects professionally”.
Links
Kofi Annan Center of Excellence in ICT:
www.aiti-kace.com.gh/
Ghana ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee:
www.ict.gov.gh/html/about.htm
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