The Juaben Senior High School (SHS), in the Juaben Municipality of Ashanti, has emerged winners of a computer programming and coding competition organized by the Cornell University in United States of America (USA).

The competition named “Code Afrique” is a coding boot camp arranged by the Cornell University with the aim of introducing, motivating and developing the interests of Ghanaian High School students in computer programming skills and Computer Science.

The winning school competed with students of 14 other Senior High Schools in the Region at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

The occasion afforded the participating students the privilege of meeting to have firsthand interactions with Ghanaian students who have excelled in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sectors in the USA.

The participating schools are; Opoku Ware, Prempeh College, St. Louis, Yaa Asantewewaa, Serwaa Nyarko, TI AMASS, Kumasi High School and Kumasi Girls among others.

Professor Robbert Van Renesse, a Research Professor in Computer Science at the Cornell University, said the coding competition for the students was part of a two-day workshop held to train and introduce the students to basic programming skills.

It was also to provide them with the practical opportunity to try their hands on some information technology (IT) programming softwares such as the “Python” and build their interest in pursuing IT courses at the tertiary level after graduating from the SHS.

“Pursing IT courses is not only a necessity for modern day life demands, but a requisite for enhancing positive and easy life in the society,” the Research Professor added.

He called on the government, various SHS institutions and stakeholders to strengthen efforts in ensuring and sustaining strong IT education especially at the SHS level.

Mrs. Josephine Mensah Opuni-Boachie, Headmistress of the Juaben SHS, commended the Cornell University for the initiative and her students for the award.

She urged the government and all educational stakeholders to support the strengthening of ICT education in the country to aid socio-economic advancement.

Ms. Amoakowaa Akosua Amoako, a final year Science student and team leader of the winning school, commended her school authorities for their contribution in ICT training that led to the prestigious feat.

She also commended the Cornell University for the opportunity and initiative and urged her peers to pursue IT courses, as supplementary to their chosen courses of study.