By Kodjo Adams
Accra, June 26, GNA- Mr Richard Osei Anim, Managing Partner, Coral Reef Innovation Africa, says digital literacy plays an important role in unlocking Africa’s development.
He said innovation and creativity in the educational landscape were required to drive the meaningful change for sustained growth in the sector.
Mr Anim said this in Accra at the launch
of the Learnairium Initiative, which empowered students with the tools to learn and thrive in the emerging tech-driven world.
The initiative will equip students in the country for future careers, helping them step out confidently into a digital future.
Through the initiative, Coral Reef Innovation Hub and its partners are creating brighter opportunities for all and shaping the future of education in Ghana.
Mr Anim said the exigency of the fourth revolution meant that the country should prioritise Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in all spheres, especially in the educational space, to ensure positive
outcomes.
“So without that basic education in digital literacy, it is extremely difficult to be relevant in the new world of work.
“People keep talking about the future; that future is already here,” he said.
He commended the government for investing in the educational digital space by deploying about 45,000 laptops across the country and the promotion of STEM schools.
“So how can we invest more into that space? Clearly the government cannot do it alone. So, they need to partner with corporate institutions and the technology industries, like the Coral
Reef Innovation Africa, to scale up the initiative.”
He said the increasing digital skills gap in Ghana and across Africa had left many schools ill-equipped in terms of curriculum and tools to teach AI and prepare students for future jobs.
Mr Anim said limited teacher training and resources have affected the integration of AI education into school systems, calling for industry partnership to address the issues.
A speech read on behalf of Mr Samuel George, the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, underscored the importance of innovation as a driver for sustainable
development.
He said the country needed an ecosystem approach that would bring forward stakeholders in the technology space to chart the path forward to revolutionise the digital age.
The Minister said the government was ready to support initiatives that would enhance digitalisation through enabling policies, saying, “The work of Coral Reef Innovation Africa is not only innovative but nation-building.”
GNA
Christian Akorlie