By Albert Futukpor
Damongo, May 11, GNA – Rahimmah Mohammed, an 11-year-old primary six pupil of the T.I. Ahmadiyaa School in the North East Gonja District of the Savannah Region, has emerged the Overall Winner of the Girls-in-ICT programme held in the region from April 25 to May 9.
She scored 92 points to beat 999 other girls, who participated in the contest, which was climaxed in Damongo on May 9.
Two other girls; Alfreda Frimpong, 12 years, and Salu Saratu Alele, 11 years, both from the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, took the second and third positions, respectively, after scoring 90 and 89 during the contest.
The three girls received a laptop and a certificate each, besides a cash prize of GHc3,000 for the overall winner, and GHc2,500 and GHc2,000 for the second and third positions.
Each of the remaining 997 girls also received a laptop and a certificate.
A total of 1,000 girls, drawn from basic schools in all the seven districts in the region, were trained on basic ICT skills to help them explore digital technologies during the Girls-in-ICT programme.
As part of the training, examinations to select the top 100 performers for the awards during the climax of the programme.
This year’s event, on the theme: “Digital Skills for Life,” was organised by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, and sponsored by MTN Ghana, German Development Cooperation, Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, GIFEC, ATC and KODRIS Africa.
Rahimmah Mohammed, the Overall Winner, described her feat as a life-changing experience, saying the first time she used a laptop was when she joined the Girls-in-ICT programme.
She expressed gratitude to the organisers for the initiative, and commended the teachers for the effective way they delivered the lessons.
Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, congratulated the girls for the enthusiasm showed throughout the training.
The initiative would leave its mark in the minds of the people of the region, and its fruits would be felt for a long time, she said.
GNA