BY Muniratu Akweley Issah
Accra, April 30, GNA- MTN Ghana in partnership with Mobile-Web Ghana has held a mentorship programme for over 70 girls in selected Junior and Senior High Schools (SHS) in Accra.
The mentorship programme dubbed: “Girls in ICT” was held to commemorate International Girls in ICT Day 2024 on the theme: “Leadership”, which underscores the critical need for strong female role models in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers.
Madam Cynthia Mills, Economic Empowerment Advisor, MTN Ghana Foundation, speaking at the event, said they were committed to empowering the girls to take up the challenge and venture into STEM courses as opportunities in the industry were enormous.
According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), participation of women in ICT-related fields continued to be low and nearly absent from software development, engineering, technology research, academia as well as highest levels of policy making.
The mentorship programme involved students from selected JHS and SHS and mentors from MTN Ghana, who took the girls through leadership roles to inspire them to become leaders, particularly taking a bold step in STEM-related courses.
She said girls had always feared undertaking Science and Mathematics-related courses, having very few professionals in the industry, hence, the partnership to encourage them and assist them to take up the challenge, was key.
“We want to encourage them not to fear sciences, and that there are various fields that they can branch into once they are able to take on these courses, so we are encouraging the ladies to be active in this regard,” she said.
Madam Mills said MTN Ghana had been empowering young girls in STEM education for the past five years in partnership with the Ministry of Communications, which had been positive.
The Economic Empowerment Advisor said in most cases they followed up on the schools they supported to find out how they were doing and then also encouraged the students to contact mentors for further engagement.
She urged the young girls not to fear STEM courses.
Ms Florence Toffah, Director, Mobile Web-Ghana, said most of the girls needed mentorship programmes to inspire them to be able to take up the STEM challenges, as technology had more potential for the girl child than ever imagined.
She said the main aim was to get women, who were into leadership positions to be able to inspire the girls, adding that despite the high Internet penetration in the country, only a few girls were into ICT or STEM education, creating a huge gap in the industry.
She said statistics showed that by stage three, the confidence in Mathematics dropped significantly and “so the reason for the programme is to be able to get role models who are in leadership positions in STEM to be able to motivate these girls”.
The Director of Mobile Web-Ghana said feedback from previous programmes with girls had been positive.
“There is a huge opportunity in ICT for everyone, let us expose our girls to the good aspects of the internet and the good offer that ICT can offer them, let us expose them at an early stage and as they grow, l am sure that they will find a leadership role in STEM which is more rewarding, fulfilling and exciting,” she added.
GNA