The Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, JOCV, has successfully conducted a three-day ICT and PC Skill Upgrading Workshop at the ultra-modern offices of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Accra. The workshop spanned Tuesday 21st to Thursday, 23rd December, 2010.
The Workshop, which was also attended by Japanese volunteers, brought together, ICT professionals and tutors from vocational and technical institutions, secondary schools, colleges of education, district assemblies, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Statistical Service and the University of Development Studies. They came from different regions of the country including Tamale (Northern), Wa & Kaleo (Upper West), Peki (Volta), Jamasi (Ashanti), Adukrom, Nkwatia and Donkokrom (Eastern), Gomoa Mprumem & Cape Coast (Central), Kaleo (Upper West), Takoradi & Agona Nkwanta (Western), Jukwa (Central) and Accra (Greater Accra).
According to Mr. Akira Furukawa, ‘We conducted a research into ICT education in Ghana and found out that previous-generation PCs are still used in many places regardless of the fact that relatively-new PCs are being introduced. We also discovered that it is quite common to use PCs of different generations in one computer room. These backgrounds indicate that a wide variety of PCs are used in Ghana, thereby, making maintenance and compatibility of the PC parts very difficult. At the same time, accurate knowledge and technology are required in order to understand the differences and best ways to deal with previous and new-generation PCs. At the workshop, we taught participants best practices in PC assembling, trouble-shooting and maintenance. We also offered free software and valuable information on PC parts and trends.’
The Workshop achieved its objectives as participants expressed their gratitude to the volunteers for the eye-opening details about new generation computers’ hardware and software installation, maintenance, repairs and trouble-shooting. Mr. Adam Abdul Karim, an ICT instructor from Islamic Senior High School in Wa, Upper West, said, ‘This workshop is indeed an eye-opener for me. I know about computers, but I did not know how to trouble-shoot when PCs are having troubles. Now, I have learnt that and I can confidently teach my students.’ Another participant, Mr. Kankpenuba Wisdom, also an ICT tutor from St. Basilide’s Vocational/Technical Institute in Kaleo, Upper West said, ‘…Before I came for the workshop, we just bought some computer parts and we were looking for technicians to assemble and install them for us. Now, I know how to assemble and install, so we do not need any external technician any longer. I can also teach my other colleagues and students how to do it with ease.’
Excited Mr. Stephen Quagrine, a tutor from the Takoradi Technical Institute, said, ‘I did not know anything about hardware before now. In fact, I had not seen certain components of CPU before and I sometimes find it difficult to teach the differences between the functions of these microchips. But now, with the simple illustration the Japanese instructor taught us, I can vividly explain all the grey areas in hardware in a way my students can appreciate and assimilate.’
The Electronic Subcommittee of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers coordinated the Workshop. In his closing remarks, Mr. Kunihiro Yamauchi, Resident Representative of JICA Ghana, thanked all participants for contributing to the success of the workshop and urged all counterparts to share their new knowledge with their students and colleagues.
Source: Kojo Olabode-Williams, JICA PR Advisor