Educational institutions, businesses and government bodies must forge strategic partnerships to train future generations with skills in the digital age for national development, says Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Mrs Gifty Twum-Ampofo.
According to her, skills like coding, problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity were the currency of the future, adding that education played a transformative role in the digital era since educational institutions were breeding grounds for future innovators and leaders.
She stated that through such partnerships and collaborations, “we can ensure that our educational system evolves to meet the demands of the 21st century and students would be equipped with the necessary skills to drive the country into a future where technological advancement enhanced the quality of life of all citizens in the country.”
Mrs Twum-Ampofo was speaking at this year’s regional launch of the Ghana Digital Innovation Week organised here yesterday by the Koforidua Technical University (KTU) in collaboration with the German Development Corporation (GIZ) on the theme “Innovate, collaborate, elevate: Shaping a future of endless potential.”
The launch which brought together academia and industry players sought to showcase and celebrate achievements in digital innovation system of the Eastern Region and Ghana as a whole.
Mrs Twum-Ampofo stated that technology had become the cornerstone of advancement, adding that ideas had the power to revolutionise entire industries and societies.
She said Ghana’s potential was boundless and that strategic partnerships and collaborations among stakeholders could nurture a generation of thinkers and doers to lead the country into technological advancements and development.
Mrs Twum-Ampofo stated that the government, as part of embracing digitisation had made significant investment into the educational sector by improving access to education, providing infrastructural development, learning and teaching material and introducing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education in the basic and senior high schools to nurture future generation.
She said the Ghana Digital Week should not be a one-day event but should be a revolutionary moment to make the youth innovative.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Seth Acheampong, said the digital technology had become necessary to drive innovations and enhance productivity among sectors.
He said it was for that reason, the government had played significant role in driving digitisation by establishing strategies to place Ghana as a top African digital ecosystem and that the government would continue to drive the digitisation agenda to technologically develop the country.
The Programmes Component Manager, Digital Transformation Centre, GIZ Ghana, Emmanuel Mumuni, said GIZ had been at the forefront of development projects in Ghana in the fields of economic development, employment promotion, governance and democracy, among others, adding it would continue to collaborate with the country to ensure its development.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of KTU, Professor Richard Ohene Asiedu, for his part said the benefits of digital innovation were enormous, saying that event would encourage interdisciplinary discussion and provide an opportunity for various actors to learn, share ideas and create networks to enhance growth of Ghana’s digital and innovation sectors.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
