General News of Tuesday, 23 March 2004

Source: GNA

Govt to prevent proliferation of inadequate computer schools

Kumasi, March 23, GNA - The Ministry of Communication and Technology would come out with measures to check the proliferation of inadequate computer training schools in the country.

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the sector Minister who made the announcement said the ministry was working in collaboration with the National Accreditation Board to ensure the standardisation of information and communication technology (ICT) education in the country. These were contained in a speech read on behalf of the minister at a seminar organised by the Computer Science Society of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on Monday.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said the government was working with CISCO, a French computer company to establish 10 computer academies at the country's universities and polytechnics to develop ICT human resource capacity of the country.

He said funds for the establishment of the institutions had been secured and that the project would take off this year.

Mr Kan-Dapaah called on corporate bodies to support government's bid to bridge the gap between educational institutions and industries. Mr Samuel Eshun, Chief Executive Officer of Vital Infonet, advocated the revision and upgrading of ICT course contents in the tertiary institutions so that students could easily secure job after completing school.

Mr Robert Kofi Nyarko, President of the Computer Science Society, appealed to companies to open their doors to students for practical attachment if ICT education should be enhanced.