By Edward Acquah, GNA
Accra, June 19, GNA – One hundred women educators have graduated from the Women Educators in Internet and Technology (WEITech) initiative after completing a two-year training programme in digital literacy, entrepreneurship and educational technology.
The programme, implemented by the DreamOval Foundation with support from the Internet Society Foundation, sought to address underemployment and digital skills gaps among female teachers in Ghana while promoting the use of technology in education.
At a graduation ceremony held at the University of Ghana, participants received certificates, while some beneficiaries who developed digital solutions to address challenges in the education sector were awarded seed capital to develop their innovations.
Ms Afua Oforiwaa Asiamah-Adjei, Executive Director of DreamOval Foundation, said the programme was designed to equip women educators with the skills needed to integrate internet technologies and digital tools into teaching and learning.
She noted that the initiative, funded through the Internet Society Foundation’s Skills Grant Programme, had provided opportunities for women educators to embrace technology and apply digital tools in modern classrooms.
“Our hope for the future is that they continue using technology in their classrooms. The modern classroom and modern education can be found right here in Ghana with these women,” she said.
Ms Asiamah-Adjei said the response from participants demonstrated a strong desire among women educators to adopt technology in teaching.
She said the programme also addressed gender imbalances in technology adoption and aligned with national efforts to promote digital skills development in education.
She said DreamOval Foundation was interested in expanding the initiative to reach more women educators across the country.
The overall best graduating participant and valedictorian, Ms Deborah Danquah, an English teacher, attributed her success to dedication, teamwork and consistency throughout the programme.
She described time management and mastering technical skills required for her capstone project as some of the major challenges she faced during the training.
Ms Danquah developed an educational technology application that provides students with instant feedback on essay writing, particularly in English Language studies.
She explained that while students preparing for examinations often had access to answers for objective questions, they rarely received immediate feedback on essay responses.
“The problem I wanted to solve was helping students get prompt feedback on their essays,” she said.
She said plans were underway to expand the application to include features that would enable teachers to create virtual classrooms, monitor students’ progress and manage learning activities.
Ms Danquah called on government and stakeholders to support more women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), saying greater female participation would enrich innovation and development in the sector.
She said the seed funding awarded under the programme would be used to upgrade the digital infrastructure supporting her application and improve its performance for users.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba
Reporter: Edward Acquah