In
a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing digital skills and employability
among Ghanaian students and professionals, GCTU has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft Skills for Jobs, Osoo Africa and Raycom
Technologies.
The
agreement, signed at a ceremony at GCTU, on Thursday, November 7, 2024,
formalizes a collaboration that will bring the Microsoft Skills for Jobs
Microdegree Programme to Ghana. This programme, funded by the European Union,
will facilitate training, certification and job placement opportunities in
high-demand areas like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and coding.
All
parties signed to formalize the agreement to bring the Microdegree programme to
Ghana
In
his opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of GCTU, Prof. Afoakwa underscored the
importance of the partnership for advancing technology education in Ghana.
“This relationship will benefit both our students and faculty and we anticipate
further opportunities for collaboration with our international partners,
particularly through student exchange programmes and joint research in
information technology,” he noted.
He
highlighted GCTU’s reputation as a top institution for IT education in Ghana,
saying, “When it comes to IT, GCTU is the university of choice, with even
lecturers from institutions like the University of Ghana and KNUST joining our
Ph.D. programmes in computer science and IT.”
The
CEO of the Microsoft Skills for Jobs Microdegree programme, Mr. Sayed Jawed,
echoed the enthusiasm for the partnership, revealing plans to expand the
collaboration. “Early next year, we will bring a delegation from KAMK
University, Finland and Microsoft to GCTU to explore affiliation agreements,
potentially paving the way for student exchanges between Ghana and Finland,”
Mr. Jawed said. The initiative aims to create pathways for Ghanaian students to
gain international experience and for GCTU to host Finnish students, fostering
cross-cultural learning.
The
VC signing on behalf of GCTU
A
significant component of the agreement involves collaborating with local banks
to provide financial aid, enabling students to finance their studies through
micro-loans. With these options, students can pay the programme fee in monthly
installments, making it accessible to a broader audience. Mr. Jawed outlined, “This
programme is designed to prepare students, recent graduates, freelancers and IT
professionals for global job opportunities. We aim to certify 286,000 students
by 2026, with 60,000 of those certifications coming from Ghana.”
Highlighting
the importance of aligning the programme with local industry needs, Ms. Maame
Efua Essell, CEO of Osoo Africa, expressed optimism about the programme's
impact on students' career prospects. As part of the agreement, GCTU’s graduate
students will be required to complete the Microdegree programme as an
additional qualification, adding greater value to their master’s degrees.
The
signing of this MoU comes at a time when IT skills are increasingly essential
for employability and economic growth. Mr. Jawed further noted, “Through
this collaboration, Ghanaian students and professionals will have the
opportunity to acquire sought-after skills, with their information shared with
32,000 IT companies across Europe, thus opening doors to international job
placements.”
The
parties were optimistic about the success of the programme
The
ceremony was attended by key officials from all partner organizations.
Attendees from GCTU included the Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, Dean of the
Faculty of Computing and Information Systems (FoCIS), Dr. William Lesley
Brown-Acquaye and a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Samuel Akwasi
Danso. The partners were represented by the CEO of Microsoft Skills for Jobs
Microdegree Programme, Mr. Sayed Jawed, CEO of Osoo Africa, Maame Efua Essell
and the Solution Consultant from Raycom Technologies, Mr. Ben Atitsogbui.
With
this new alliance, GCTU is set to enhance its standing as an IT hub and a
leader in digital education in Ghana.
